Food safety, political science profs describe outreach efforts

David F. Giroux

Food safety expert Barbara Ingham and political scientist Dennis Dresang find they have a common goal: to use research findings to address community issues.

Both shared their experiences at the Outreach Scholarship conference Oct. 12-14 in Madison.

Ingham, an assistant professor in food science and a UW-Extension food safety specialist, described how UW–Madison mobilized resources across multiple departments and worked in partnership with other organizations to respond to the threat of chronic wasting disease. UW-Extension’s network of county-based educators helped disseminate research-based information about perceived risks associated with CWD and consumption of venison, says Ingham, who presented with scientists from Penn State and Ohio State who were also involved in responding to biological threats.

Dresang, a professor at the LaFollette School of Public Affairs, says his graduate students engage in research that provides direct and useful benefits to Wisconsin communities. For several years, his outreach work has dealt with gangs, youth violence and community health.

Dresang’s students work in teams, collaborating with community leaders to design plans and policies that address neighborhood concerns. The students do the policy research, present their findings and facilitate public discussions.

For both experts, the conference provided opportunities to exchange ideas with counterparts from a variety of academic and professional interests.

“Some of the most valuable things are connections I make with people from other places and different backgrounds,” Ingham says. “They share successful outreach approaches to specific issues, and I get new ideas for applying their ideas and partnership models to food science.”

“I enjoy sharing ways that we apply our theories with a variety of scholars who are also engaged in action-oriented research,” Dresang says. “I was energized by the experience. It reinforces the value of applying knowledge to real-life communities and needs.”

Convening the conference, UW-Extension Chancellor Kevin Reilly told participants that outreach can help people better appreciate all of the benefits derived from publicly funded universities.

“We can demonstrate how higher education makes businesses more profitable, natural resources more sustainable, families more cohesive and communities more attractive to high-skill workers and the businesses that will hire them,” Reilly said.

The conference featured 150 presentations and workshops on applied research and university-community engagement. Sixty-eight universities and colleges from 33 states were represented. For information, see http://www.uwex.edu/outreach.