Community Engagement
Our research is grounded in the belief that communities most affected by health inequities must be co-creators of the science that addresses them. We do not study communities, we work alongside them. From setting research priorities to designing interventions, interpreting findings, and disseminating results, our community partners shape every stage of our work.
How we Engage
Shared priority-setting
We begin projects by listening. Community advisory councils, focus groups, and one-on-one conversations with partners help us understand what matters most to the people we serve, and shape the questions we ask.
Co-designed research
From the South Asian Community Health Ambassador Program to our dementia awareness work, our studies are built with community partners, not for them. Partners contribute to study design, recruitment strategies, materials development, and interpretation of results.
Capacity building in both directions
Through initiatives like the WRITE Lab, we create spaces where academic and community partners write, publish, and disseminate together. Our partners bring expertise we cannot replicate and we bring research infrastructure and training. Both sides grow.
Sustained relationships
We invest in long-term partnerships rather than one-time engagements. Many of our collaborators have worked with us across multiple projects, grants, and years.
Our Community Partners
We are proud to work with organizations that share our commitment to health equity and community-driven research:
A Texas based South Asian women's organization and a foundational partner in our work on South Asian health, dementia awareness, and diabetes prevention in North Texas.
A national association advancing the health of South Asian communities in the United States. Dr. Neelamegam serves on the Executive Council.
Asian and Pacific Islander Caucus for Public Health (APIC), American Public Health Association
A national caucus advocating for the health of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. Dr. Neelamegam serves as Caucus Director.
Tarrant County HIV Administrative Agency
A regional partner supporting our work on HIV, aging, and the health of people living with HIV in North Texas.
Guiding Principles
Our approach draws on established frameworks for community-based participatory research and community engagement, including:
Community voice is centered in dissemination, including co-authorship
Findings are shared back to communities in accessible formats
Research questions come from lived experience
Communities are equal partners, not subjects
Mentored Student Community Engagement Projects
A core part of the Neelamegam Lab's mission is training the next generation of community-engaged public health scholars. Dr. Neelamegam mentors graduate students in community engagement projects through the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, a nationally recognized program supporting graduate students in designing and implementing year-long service projects that address the health needs of underserved communities. Through this fellowship, our students partner directly with local organizations to develop culturally responsive programs that create measurable community impact.
Project Saksham
Student Fellow: Shilpa Patil, Community Partner: Prerana Sakhi Network
Project Saksham (meaning "empowered" in Sanskrit) supports immigrant women who have taken a career break to relocate to the United States as dependents. The project helps participants navigate practical milestones of resettlement — including obtaining a driver's license — as a first step toward rebuilding independence, mobility, and access to opportunity in their new communities.
Project Saksham 2.0
Student Fellows: Suruthi Sundaramurugan and Trishla Patil, Community Partner: Prerana Sakhi Network
Building on the foundation of Project Saksham, this second iteration expands support beyond resettlement milestones to include preventive care and wellness. Participants gain tools and knowledge to prioritize their own health as they establish new lives in the U.S., addressing a well-documented gap in care for immigrant women in transition.
ASK D.I.D.I.
Student Fellows: Aastha Maharjan and Swetha Anbu, Community Partner, Color Me Safe
ASK D.I.D.I. brings health information and support directly to South Asian women, drawing on the cultural role of the "didi" (older sister) as a trusted source of guidance. The project reflects our lab's commitment to community-centered, culturally grounded health promotion.
Together, these projects reflect our belief that meaningful community engagement is best learned through practice, and that our students are already contributing as leaders in the communities they serve.
