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Vibrant Communities

Life happens within communities. The infrastructure and inter-connectivity of the institutions providing services define the boundaries of human potential within a community. Georgia Southern University faculty lead basic, applied, clinical, evaluative, and interdisciplinary research projects that promote the vitality of communities. This is accomplished by providing a knowledge base of cultural understanding to help communities ensure inclusiveness in their economic development, recognizing the complicated heritage and diverse voices of their members.

Public Impact Research

Researchers at Georgia Southern University explore the elements of civic infrastructures and connections between them to develop mechanisms that enhance the services, well-being, and quality of life within. The resulting work has the potential to enhance the economic, educational, public health and safety, religious, and cultural resources of communities.

Faculty Expertise

Civic Infrastructures and Public Services

Interdisciplinary research teams examine the obstacles faced by underserved youth and promote practices designed to improve school climate and safety for diverse populations. For example, faculty from criminal justice and education collaborate to understand how school safety and restorative justice practices influence student outcomes in K-12 settings. Likewise, connections between psychology faculty and community partners are built to address the unique behavioral health needs of children, families, and sexual and gender minorities in geographically isolated rural areas. Simultaneously this group trains the next generation of service providers to ensure competencies to serve these populations and communities. Researchers also collaborate with community partners to provide lifelong learning opportunities that support workforce and economic development. Faculty from the sciences, engineering, mathematics, and education create engaging learning opportunities for K-12 students, teachers, and college students to inspire the pursuit of STEM careers.

Community Health and Wellbeing

Researchers explore best practices in promotion of health education, occupational health and safety, responses to crime and justice, and hospital and health care operations; they focus on rural and underserved communities and address health inequities. Others address health needs of special populations, such as creating opportunities for citizens with disabilities to participate in physical education. Researchers also address public health needs, assisting with identifying and working to control/reduce infectious diseases. As well, researchers from a range of disciplines work separately and together to address mental health and addiction recovery needs within communities.

Quality of Life

From anthropological and historical research that heightens our understanding and appreciation of diverse cultural, religious, and global perspectives to the creative disciplines providing engagement with the arts, our faculty enrich communities through knowledge production, education, and creative outlets. A diverse group of experts, from sociologists to political scientists, historians to language experts, recreation and education faculty, engage in scholarly and creative activities that enhance our understanding of each other, and help communities through civic engagement, knowledge transference, productions in the arts and leisure activities, and enhancing global awareness. For example, Georgia Southern’s Center for Irish Research and Teaching examines the history of Irish immigration in the region. And our recently established education outpost in Wexford, Ireland, increases the collective understanding of Irish and Irish-American communities from an interdisciplinary standpoint.