Page 12 - RFCUNY Annual Report 2016

Babette Audant James M. Sherry

Assistant Professor, Tourism & Hospitality Professor, Immigrant, Refugee and Global Health
Executive Director, Center for Economic and Health Policy and Management
Workforce Development CUNY School of Public Health & Health Policy
Kingsborough Community College
The linkages between credit and non-credit pro- “There is a conception of research as an individualist,
gramming in higher education are notoriously independent endeavor, but in reality it is much more
weak. Recognizing the opportunity in this divided about process than personality,” Professor Sherry
approach toward learning, Professor Audant con- explains. His five-year, $2M USAID award, Health
sidered how to strengthen these ties in fields where Evaluation, Applied Research and Development
an informal overlap between degree students and (HEARD) aims to make optimizing the process of
continuing education students was already occur- research the main focus in achieving global health
ring. She secured a four-year, $150K award from and development goals. Central to this goal is the
the Capital One Foundation titled, Implementing a concept of implementation science, a research
Data-Tracking Strategy to Inform Institutional Growth model that addresses the wide-ranging challenges of
& Improve Student Outcomes, to build a database of translating research knowledge into real-life practice.
continuing education students. Essential background “Trying to get research more relevant and focused
knowledge on non-credit students will allow Audant on the issues of the day isn’t dumbing down science.
and her team to better counsel both continuing Delivery science is about asking: How can we make
education students and students pursuing degrees. science work for us?” Sherry, along with his global
“We want all students to understand from the begin- university and program partners, seeks to bring
ning where certain credentials will take them and together stakeholders, researchers, and implement-
what other options are available to help them grow ers at the beginning of the research process to shape
in their careers.” an agenda that addresses key questions in real-time.
“The long-term impact is making systems smarter.
That in the end, is the value of research investment -
it’s a learning process.”

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