Research Council

History

In 2005 the Great Cities Institute organized three research clusters to focus on research and issues of importance to the University of Illinois at Chicago in its role as a citizen in the Chicago community. The Healthy City Research Cluster was officially launched in 2006 as one of these 3 clusters and then in a consensus building process was renamed the Healthy City Collaborative (HCC). The change in name reflected OCEAN–HP’s (formerly named Neighborhood Initiatives) commitment to engage all partners in a collaborative process to guide relevant research through the stages of planning, community engagement, action, synthesis of results, translation and practical application. One of the first activities of the HCC resulted in the development and adoption of partnership principles. These principles were reviewed and refined in a consensus process that included review by university researches, community partners, the Community Campus Partnerships for Health Promotion and community serving organizations.

 

Research Mission

A key indicator of the success of the University of Illinois Office of Community Engagement and Neighborhood Health Partnerships (OCEAN-HP) in living its mission is its success in sustaining mutually beneficial community relationships such that scholars, students and researchers can be introduced and supported in community engaged activities. OCEAN-HP serves as an interface between the university and the community, brokering partnerships, translating information between diverse communities and applying new knowledge intended to benefit the City. OCEAN-HP is an important vehicle through which UIC researchers learn about the resources and needs of Chicago communities, make connections to conduct responsive research and disseminate research findings. More importantly, OCEAN-HP’s focus on capacity building prepares community partners to utilize this information and to generate new research questions.

 

Contact

Sabrina Nelson
Program Coordinator
sabrina1@uic.edu
312.355.1844

Office Address
University of Illinois at Chicago (MC 804)
818 S. Wolcott Ave. Suite 800
Chicago, IL 60612