INNOVATING KNOWLEDGE DISSEMINATION FOR CULTURAL RELEVANCE AND ACCESSIBILITY

Abstract

We are all embedded within societies, communities, families, and institutions. But how do we ensure our research, methodologies, findings, and implications are accessible and meaningful for those who need the knowledge? As a Māori (Indigenous) researcher from New Zealand and a researcher within the NIH-funded International Eating Disorder Genetics Initiative (EDGI) study led by Professor Cynthia Bulik, I am acutely aware of the pivotal role language plays in bridging the gap between scientific communication and societal understanding.

My symposia presentation delves into the importance of a researcher's role as a knowledge creator to craft accessible and culturally sensitive narratives from complex scientific concepts. Researchers are responsible for spreading the knowledge of genetic findings beyond the confines of scholarly journals so that our work reaches and resonates with communities far and wide. It is imperative to embrace diverse modalities of dissemination and recognise that peer-reviewed articles are but one conduit through which knowledge can flow. I will cover opportunities for various dissemination modalities, including the use wānanga by our Māori communities in New Zealand. Wānanga (forum or seminar) is a way of sharing knowledge, discussing, exploring and making meaning of the content, and using the associated concepts can present new opportunities for knowledge dissemination in various contexts.

Ultimately, my presentation serves as a call to action for researchers and communicators alike. The true measure of research impact lies not solely in scholarly publications but in the tangible difference we make in the lives of people and communities through accessible, inclusive, and culturally resonant knowledge dissemination practices.