To build trust in the process and results of COVID-19 research, we have developed educational resources to address important questions about vaccines, research and clinical trials.
Publications
- WRAIR Community Engagement Focus Groups Report – Grapevine Health – December 2020
- COVID-19 Q & A – Kayvon Modjarrad and Paul Scott – January 2021
- SpFN COVID-19 Vaccine Trial Q & A – Paul Scott – April 2021
- WRAIR/EIDB Community Engagement Newsletter – Spring 2021
- Boletín de Participación Comunitaria de WRAIR – Primavera 2021
- WRAIR/EIDB Community Engagement Newsletter – Fall 2021
- Boletín de Participación Comunitaria de WRAIR – Otoño 2021
Presentations
- WRAIR Community Engagement – Liza Dawson and Cortni Romaine – December 2020
- Basics of COVID-19 – Brittany Ober-Shepherd – February 2021
- Understanding Clinical Trials – Nelson Michael – March 2021
- How to Read a Clinical Trial – Steve Schech – April 2021
- FDA and the COVID-19 Pandemic – Merlin Robb – May 2021
- Ethical Considerations in Clinical Research – Liza Dawson – July 2021
- Ask the Expert: Understanding COVID-19 Vaccines and Clinical Research – Brittany Ober-Shepherd – September 2021
- Diversity and Inclusion in Clinical Research – Sandhya Vasan – October 2021
- Children and COVID-19 Vaccines – Merlin Robb – November 2021
- Update on COVID-19 Vaccines: Boosters, Vaccines for Children, and New Variants – Brittany Ober-Shepherd – December 2021
- Mindfulness: Training Your Mind to Boost Resilience – Thomas Nassif – February 2022
- Get Your Zzzs: Healthy Sleep Tips and Fatigue Management Strategies – Sara Alger – February 2022
Videos
Science Education and Career Development
Did you know that WRAIR laboratories, in the first half of 2023, mentored or currently hosts 84 Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education (ORISE, see Zintellect.com) fellows, 53 Army Educational Outreach Program (USAEOP.com) interns or fellows, 39 Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science (GEMS) near-peer mentors (NPMs, USAEOP.com), 10 DoD HBCU-MI undergraduate interns (at WRAIR and its Medical Research Directorate – West in Tacoma, Washington), and nine National Research Council fellows (see the National Academies NASEM RAP site) in its research laboratories?
Moreover, GEMS is underway with participation likely to exceed 800 rising 7th to 12th grade participants in summer 2023 one-week programs. GEMS sites include teaching laboratories at WRAIR, Morgan State University, Bowie State University and Richard Wright Middle School in DC. GEMS is also carried out in hybrid (virtual plus in-person pop-ins) and asynchronous formats to reach more students unable to experience it in our laboratories because of other family and income commitments. The University of Maryland Talent Search program will collaborate in hosting nearly 50 GEMS participants in hybrid sessions as well. Every intern and fellow receives a stipend for their in-laboratory experience even when its only for one week!
During the past school year, WRAIR reached out to area students, faculty and staff at Morgan State and Bowie State Universities and Montgomery College and also provided tours of WRAIR to students and staff from Malcolm X College in Chicago, Learning Undefeated and other groups. Through a National Institutes of Health Science Education Partnership Award to WRAIR, NPMs from Morgan and Bowie, led by the WRAIR Science Education Team, led in-classroom teaching and mentoring in Baltimore City and Prince George’s County biology classrooms, serving several hundred 9th and 10th grade students.
These WRAIR programs are a wonderful way to engage with our community for the benefit of STEM education and career development. Check out the websites noted for more information.
https://wrair.health.mil/Join-Our-Team/Science-Education-and-Fellowship-Programs/