How Can Immigration Researchers Expand Their Impact?
Immigration researchers are always under pressure to connect their work to the policy world and the broader public. If you’re an academic, maybe you’ve felt like working more closely with reporters and policymakers. Or if you’re in the policy world or media, maybe you’ve wanted to get connected with researchers in the immigration field. For my part, I have always valued connecting my work to the public, but figuring out how to do it – and do it well – can be a challenge.
Michele Waslin recently pulled together a panel of four scholars to discuss how we have connected our work to the public. The event was hosted by the Institute for Immigration Research at George Mason University. The panel was made up of:
Els de Graauw, Associate Professor at Baruch College, the City University of New York
Shoba Sivaprasad Wadhia, Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Director of Immigrants' Rights Clinic, Penn State Law
Ruth Wasem, Professor of Public Policy Practice, University of Texas at Austin LBJ School of Public Affairs
and myself: Austin Kocher, Assistant Professor at the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University
I have to say, Michele’s preparation and coordination really paid off. It was the best-organized panel I’ve been on this pandemic. I learned a lot from my colleagues on the panel. The main take-away point I hope everyone left with is that “impact moves at the speed of relationships.” This means simply: start by developing relationships with reporters, policy advocates, and colleagues who are already doing the work you want to do and see what doors open. Impact takes time!
It’s too late to catch the discussion live. But if you want to watch the video from the panel discussion, it’s online now on the Institute for Immigration Research website at the link below.
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