Research

NeuroEngage team members engaged in discussion at neuroscience education exhibit with posters

Our research is situated at the intersection of neuroscience, education, and public engagement. We combine research and practice to transform how people engage with science, grounding every program in both data and community voices. This ensures our initiatives are evidence-based, relevant, equitable, and lasting.

Grounded in the Social Ecological Model—which recognizes that individuals are shaped by their relationships, communities, and broader systems—our research explores questions across multiple levels of influence:

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individual
microsystem
mesosystem
exosystem
macrosystem
What strategies ensure that neuroscience engagement efforts scale equitably and contribute to systemic change in science education and outreach?
How can university–community partnerships create meaningful, two-way engagement that meets local needs while broadening participation in science?
How do interactions between schools, universities, and labs make neuroscience programs more inclusive, effective, and sustainable?
How do mentors, peers, and family networks shape students’ science identities and pathways?
What factors influence student interest, persistence, and achievement in science? How do students develop a sense of belonging in STEM?
Click on each level of influence to learn more
Student receiving hands-on brain science demonstration with headband during neuroscience outreach program

Deeply human

By working across these levels, we aim to understand not just whether programs work, but how and why they matter—and for whom. With this approach, we hope to build a field of neuroscience engagement that is rigorous, equitable, and deeply human.