HIV Dissemination Science Scientific Working Group
The Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative has emphasized rapid and equitable dissemination and implementation of interventions to improve the HIV prevention and care continuum. To advance EHE goals, the HIV Dissemination Science and Practice Scientific Working Group (DisSci SWG) will build on the TC CFAR’s explosive growth in implementation science and expand its work into HIV dissemination science and practice.
The DisSci SWG will cultivate scientific expertise and multidisciplinary collaborations, work closely with the TC CFAR’s Administrative, Developmental, and BSIS Cores to refine its understanding of services that can be developed or enhanced to support this growing area, and serve as a springboard for successful HIV DisSci grants.
Engagement of community, clinical, and public health partners can enhance dissemination by helping researchers identify communities of interest, the most effective and efficient channels to reach them, as well as how messages about research might be tailored.
About the DisSci SWG
The DisSci SWG aims to start innovative activities within the TC CFAR and catalyze multisector (academia, public health practice, community), multidisciplinary (e.g., communication, marketing, arts, HIV science), and multi-institutional collaborations through a combination of trainings, seminars, and funding opportunities focused on building knowledge of and opportunities to utilize dissemination science and practice. SWG activities will also guide future core services that can support investigators and community members to engage in DisSci.
These goals will be realized through three specific aims occurring over three years:
Aim 1: Refine our understanding of DisSci needs within TC CFAR, cultivate a community prioritizing dissemination, and support active dissemination of investigators’ work in partnership with the BSIS Core, Administrative Core, and TC CFAR partners.
Activities: Regular meetings, in-depth needs assessment for disseminating research findings, and connecting TC CFAR members with partners who can support novel dissemination approaches.
Aim 2: Build DisSci expertise and capacity among TC CFAR HIV researchers and clinical, community, and public health partners.
Activities: DisSci Reading Group, DisSci Speaker Series, dissemination practice workshops, dissemination science pilot consultations with the BSIS Core, and developing DisSci toolkits for TC CFAR members.
Aim 3: Foster interdisciplinary, cross-institutional collaborations aimed at preparing competitive dissemination science grants to NIH in partnership with the TC CFAR’s Developmental Core.
Activities: Networking opportunities at and between DisSci meetings (rotating hosts, Slack), DisSci planning awards, and navigation to the Administrative, Developmental, and BSIS Core’s resources (e.g., grant review).
Current Activities
The TC CFAR kickstarted activities that will equip its members with the skills, confidence, and infrastructure to begin engaging in dissemination research, and purposefully communicating their scholarship outside academia.
In July 2024, the DisSci SWG held a hybrid kickoff meeting focused on introducing the SWG and member networking, with 27 community members, investigators, and affiliates with expertise in communications and design in attendance. A brief presentation defined the state of DisSci in HIV, and showcased members’ existing work in this area. The SWG shared its planned activities and sought input from attendees on specific speakers and trainings of interest.
In January 2024, the TC CFAR’s Developmental and BSIS Cores sponsored “Write to Change the World”
op-ed writing workshops. Hosted by The OpEd Project, these two-day virtual workshops promote thought leadership skills and emphasize dissemination of ideas from individuals historically underrepresented in the media. There were 20 faculty and community members who participated in the op-ed writing workshops. Since then, some participants have had their HIV research op-eds published.
The DisSci SWG and Administrative Core have already started a strategic dissemination plan for TC CFAR scientific outputs: Directors are alerted to recent TC CFAR member publications and asked to nominate one considered to be most impactful. This publication is amplified on the TC CFAR social media and communications channels (X, newsletter) via a summary and a news story on the TC CFAR website. Stories can be found here.
Participation
TC CFAR faculty, community members, trainees, or students can participate in the DisSci SWG. If you are interested in getting involved, please complete the DisSci SWG Membership Form.
Contact Dana Kauffman with questions about the DisSci SWG.
Leadership
Kathryn Macapagal, PhD
Director
Expertise: Adolescent HIV Prevention
Northwestern University
Darnell Motley, PhD
Co-Director
Expertise: Structural HIV Interventions
University of Chicago