Research Ethics and Policy Series (REPS)/Bronstein Lecture

When: Tues. Sept. 9, 2025. 12-1pm Eastern

Where: Hybrid -102AB Richards Building, 3700 Hamilton Walk and via Zoom.

Registration required: Please click here to Register

Lunch provided

The 4 R’s Formula for Community Participatory Research

Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway, Sr.

Co-Founder, African Ancestry Neuroscience Research Initiative (AANRI)

Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway Sr. has refined a simple yet powerful formula for authentic community participatory research — Recognition, Respect, Relationship, and Results.

  • Recognition – Acknowledge the history, culture, and lived experience of the community as a source of knowledge equal to academic expertise.
  • Respect – Ensure that every voice is valued, perspectives are honored, and cultural norms are observed throughout the research process.
  • Relationship – Build trust through sustained engagement, transparency, and mutual benefit, ensuring that collaboration is genuine rather than extractive.
  • Results – Deliver tangible, measurable benefits to the community, from improved health outcomes to lasting policy change.

Dr. Hathaway has embedded this 4 R’s approach into diverse research initiatives, including neuroscience studies, faith-based healthy heart programs, clinical trials, and the Black Men’s Brain Health project. In every case, the formula ensures that research is not done to the community but done with the community — producing both rigorous science and transformative impact.

Founded in 2019, the African Ancestry Neuroscience Research Initiative (AANRI) is a groundbreaking collaboration between African American community leaders in Baltimore, the Lieber Institute for Brain Development, and Morgan State University that aims to address and rectify longstanding disparities in neuroscience research. AANRI is committed to advancing scientific understanding, promoting racial equity in neuroscience and paving the way for inclusive biomedical research.

Dr. Hathaway’s visit is co-sponsored by the Penn Neurology / Community and Social Action Committee (CASA)