UROC Director of Community-Engaged Research Candidate Public Presentation

Date: Tuesday, July 30
Time: 3:30 p.m 
Location: UROC

The University of Minnesota Office for Public Engagement (OPE) invites the general public to a presentation by Adriano Udani, an associate professor of political science at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and candidate for the position of director of community-engaged research for the University's Robert J. Jones Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC) at 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, July 30, at UROC. His talk is titled "The Co-Pursuit of Justice: The Role of Community-Engaged Research in Academic Collaborations" and will answer questions from the public.

Adriano Udani is an associate professor of political science and director of the Public Policy Administration Program at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He also serves as the research advisor for the school's Community Innovation and Action Center, which fosters collaboration between community partners and the university looking to address large-scale challenges in the St. Louis region. Recently, he was appointed as a co-director of the American Political Science Association’s Institute for Civically Engaged Research, where he helps train other political scientists and graduate students to do mutually beneficial research with nonacademic partners.
 
Associate Professor Udani specializes in the study of political attitudes toward immigrant groups and how those attitudes influence beliefs about membership in democratic politics. His recent research contributes to civically engaged research in political science, which aims to collaborate with people and groups beyond the academy to co-produce, share, and apply knowledge related to power and politics. Using participatory research methods, Professor Udani has co-created a process that centers grounded knowledge and lived experiences of asylum seekers from Latin America to pursue policy change. His current research project engages asylum seekers, mental health providers, physicians, researchers, and advocates in exploring the dangers of digital surveillance on Black and Brown immigrants while fostering resistance and community. He received a doctorate from the University of Minnesota and a master's degree from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University.

UROC's director of community-engaged research will lead UROC’s mission-driven work related to community-engaged scholarship and research in three community-identified priority areas: health and wellness; education and lifelong learning; and community and economic development. Among the director's responsibilities will be building research partnerships with University faculty, staff and students, community and governmental organizations, and residents to ensure that UROC is meeting the community-anchored research mission.

Associate Professor Udani was selected by a University search committee that included C. Terrence Anderson, Yingling Fan, Douglas Kennedy, Lauren Martin, and Makeda Zulu, with support from Heidi Barajas. The position reports to the University of Minnesota Vice Provost for Public Engagement and will remain open until filled.  

The candidate presentation is open to the public; registration not required. 
Learn more about the position.