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What is a Science Shop?
A Science Shop is not so much a physical place as a way that students connect and collaborate with community partners to do academic work that addresses public problems.

What is CCESL's Science Shop?
CCESL's Science Shop provides opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students to use their academic skills to address questions identified with/by community partners. Science Shop projects must involve a faculty supervisor and be linked to credit-bearing courses.
 

To support this community-engaged research, CCESL:

  • Facilitates a mentoring group for student Science Shop scholars;

  • Offers a limited number of approximately grants (typically $250 each) to students for project costs;

  • Helps to link  community-based agencies with student scholars.

Featured Research Questions and Community-Based Partners
We're happy to feature a few new research questions and interested community-based partners here:

Academic Area
(Broadly Defined) 		Potential Research Questions Community-Based Partner
Psychological Science
  • What is the impact of individual counseling services on academic and psychological outcomes among adolescents coping with teen dating violence?
  • What is the impact of teen dating violence prevention programs implemented in schools on adolescents’ awareness of teen dating violence? 
Project Safeguard 
Public Policy/Legal Issues
  • How do states with “Safe Harbor” policies/legislation that target victims of human trafficking develop and implement these programs?
Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault
 
  • Is Positive Youth Development a financially efficient approach for Youth Violence Prevention?  Relatedly, how much is spent on Positive Youth Development programs?  How much is spent on other types of intervention programs (i.e., criminal justice system)?
  • Is there a correlation between the availability of programming/funding for the 18-24 age range and violence rates in this group? Relatedly, what does funding in this age range look like in Colorado? How does funding compare in other states?
  • What are the best practices for programming focused on supporting youth through positive transitions to adulthood?
  • In Colorado, are the rates of recidivism improved when Restorative Justice approaches are used instead of traditional Justice System interventions? Who is involved in Restorative Justice in Colorado? What are the results?
Tony Grampsas Youth Services
Public Health
  • Is violence prevention a public health issue?
  • Can Social Justice be a best practice approach for youth violence prevention?
  • Is Positive Youth Development an effective approach for Youth Violence Prevention?
  • Are there best practices in Primary Prevention that specifically lead to Youth Violence Prevention?
  • Is the use of marijuana among young people associated with youth violence?
 Tony Grampsas Youth Services

Business / Human Resources / Industrial-Organizational
  • What are the elements of a truly Inclusive / Safe space?
  • How does a youth organization develop / implement an effective Inclusiveness Policy and Practice?
  • What are other policies that facilitate an Inclusive / Safe space?
  • Gaps analysis of the current Violence Prevention sector in Colorado.
  • Is there a need for a Youth Violence Prevention Resource Hub?
  • What role can / should Tony Grampsas Youth Services (TGYS) play in the Youth Violence Prevention sector?
  • Market analysis of the possible investors / funders of Positive Youth Development / Youth Violence Prevention.
  • Who are the potential investors?
  • What is an effective marketing campaign to target these investors?
  • What is TGYS’ unique / competitive advantage?
 Tony Grampsas Youth Services

 

I'm a student. How do I get involved?

Email CCESL (ccesl@du.edu) to request an interview with our Science Shop Coordinator. If the Shop is a good fit for your scholarship, the next step is putting together your Science Shop team, comprised of a faculty supervisor, the Science Shop Coordinator, and a community partner. The Science Shop Coordinator will help you work with your team to set a timeline and work plan. Once your team agrees you are ready to proceed with your work, your project success is supported by regular supervision with your faculty supervisor and the mentoring group.

I work with a community-based agency. How do I get involved?
Email CCESL (ccesl@du.edu) to let our Science Shop Coordinator know! In that email, please let us know your agency's name and the sorts of research questions you have. We will follow-up with you to figure out together if the Science Shop is a good fit for your agency.

To learn more about Science Shops around the Globe:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/science-society/pdf/science_shop_en.pdf


 

Anita Spotlight

Anita Spotlight

Reflects on Public Achivement (PA) on Blog

The goal [of PA] is to create a space for students to discover their power to create tangible change in their community. That includes open discussions about social justice issues like privilege and oppression, as well as certain key activities like one-to-ones, "world as it is/world as it should be", "world cafes" and others from the PA handbook

Manuel Del Real

Manuel Del Real

DU Student, Class of 2009 and 2011

Every time I look at the murals, it gives me great pride as an alumnus to be able to see students make a change...Being a coach has also helped me realize I am the mentor that I used to look up to.

Hava Gordon

Hava Gordon

Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology and Criminology

Last year, I taught a Service Learning FSEM: Youth Cultures: Inequality, Resistance, and Empowerment. This was the first time teaching my FSEM as a service learning class, and it was an amazing experience. With the help of my wonderful Service Learning Associate, Cameron Lewis, our class partnered with The Spot youth center and Rainbow Alley. Both organizations work to empower teens by providing a safe and creative space for low-income, homeless, and LGBTQ youth. FSEM students joined outreach workers at The Spot on night walks around the city, distributing needed items to homeless youth. Students also participated in consciousness-raising workshops at Rainbow Alley, connecting with Rainbow Alley youth through these workshops.