
Learn more about the Association for Cultural Economics International’s annual conference through the Center for Cultural Affairs.
Academic research can influence laws, how organizations and communities operate, and the decisions people make each day. But that only happens if the research is relevant and relatable, connecting people to the topic in ways they understand.
Pamela Guerrero, an O’Neill MPA candidate, admits that translating complex research studies or policy into everyday language can be difficult.
“I can be really focused on specific details that may matter to me but don’t matter to anyone else,” she says laughing. “Finding that balance between too much information and the information that’s relevant to the audience is where I struggle.”
That’s why an opportunity from the Center for Cultural Affairs caught her attention. It was a short-term fellowship focused on learning to translate research and make the information accessible to everyone.
“Translating research requires that you both understand the source material and can distill it in ways that can be effectively communicated to broad audiences,” explains CCA Faculty Director and Paul H. O’Neill Professor Doug Noonan.