Efforts
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)
Diversity innovations in science
These efforts promote new research questions that address health issues impacting select demographic groups, new research methodologies for marginalized population research, and new knowledge resulting from interdisciplinary collaborations. Specific examples of new methodologies include disaggregation of race/racism and multilevel modeling to include structural inequities.
Climate for diversity
This endeavor involves educating faculty regarding marginalization, biases, microaggressions, and stereotypes that adversely impact racial minorities or other non-dominant groups and thus promotes awareness of the value of social identity and lived experiences.
Culturally responsive practices
These practices involve building a research and training community that demonstrate an awareness of trainee concerns and focus on an asset-based approach to science training. We are leveraging our partnerships with diverse communities through our CERP, ISP, and Population Health programs, including our Latinx Health Initiative.
Integrated science identities
This endeavor is about providing opportunities and role models that encourage the integration of junior faculty and trainee identities as aspiring scientists with their social identities that constitute authentic selves.
More on CTSI program areas
Community Engagement and Research Program (CERP)
This CTSI program partners with a variety of community members and organizations in order to improve health equity in Los Angeles county, with a particular focus on underserved and underrepresented individuals.
For example, CERP leadership has undertaken a number of initiatives, including a response to NIH’s Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19. With other California CTSAs, they have launched STOP-COVID-19 CA, which is a statewide collaborative to work on increasing diversity and accessibility of vaccine clinical trials and vaccination.
Community Engagement and Research Program (CERP)
Integrating Special Populations Program (ISP)
ISP is dedicated to ensuring that special and diverse populations are represented, and to this end offers project-specific consultations for studies that involve these populations. It also runs EDI-focused initiatives such as the Value-Based Research Consortium, the Patient Portal Research Group, and the Latinx Health Initiative.
ISP offers mock studios to studies focused on underserved populations, among others. Visit their website for more details.