What is a CE Studio?
CE Studios connect researchers with community members—patients, caregivers, providers, and advocates—to improve the quality and relevance of research. These sessions offer structured, real-time feedback on research ideas, helping with study design, recruitment, and community engagement. Researchers gain insights from community experts before launching a project or to support ongoing work.
Why CE Studios Matter
Many researchers lack the tools to effectively engage communities. CE Studios bridge that gap by offering a practical, culturally sensitive way to involve stakeholders in research. Participants serve in an advisory role, ensuring studies reflect community needs and values. By incorporating community input into health research methodology, researchers can improve the impact of the research outcomes on the communities the research aims to serve.
CE Studio Roots
CE Studios were developed by the Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research’s Community Engaged Research Core and adopted by UC Irvine’s Community Engagement Core. The ICTS Community Engagement Team leads the CE Studios, continuing a national effort to strengthen community-academic partnerships.