Prof. Augsberger Named Director of Community Engagement at BU Clinical & Translational Science Institute
Prof. Astraea Augsberger of Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW) has been selected as the new director of community engagement for the BU Clinical & Translational Science Institute (BU CTSI).
She will lead the Institute’s community engagement team in developing an institutional structure that centers community priorities in the research process and advances health equity through the widespread dissemination of research findings.
Reflecting on her new role, Prof. Augsberger said, “I am honored for the opportunity to build upon the innovative work of Co-Directors Dr. Linda Sprague Martinez, a former BUSSW faculty member, and Dr. Tracy Battaglia. The Institute’s community engagement team, which includes BUSSW Senior Academic Researcher Deborah Chassler as the Training and Curriculum Lead, is committed to centering the social work values of racial and social justice in every aspect of our community engagement work.”
Astraea Augsberger, PhD, is an associate professor at BUSSW and a faculty affiliate of the School’s Center for Innovation in Social Work & Health (CISWH). Utilizing community-engaged approaches, her research examines multi-level factors that facilitate individuals’ ability to participate in institutional systems like health care, child welfare, education, and municipal government. A nationally recognized expert in youth and family engagement strategies such as youth advisory boards, her work is shaped by more than fifteen years of clinical social work practice.
The BU Clinical & Translational Science Institute was founded in 2008 to address health inequities through community-research partnerships. The Institute provides tools, services and resources to clinical providers to maximize the impact of discoveries and accelerate the translation of research into improved care.