The Community Engagement Core Highlights the Unique Partnership Between Ola HAWAII and HIPHI at the 2026 RCMI Conference

Over the past four years, more than 2,800 people across Hawaiʻi have taken part in community research events like Report to Communities, trainings and workshops, and Community Engaged Research Studios to learn about emerging research studies impacting our local communities. That work was in the spotlight this July, when the Community Engagement Core (CEC) brought its story to the national stage at the 2026 RCMI (Research Centers in Minority Institutions) Conference in Bethesda.

In particular, Ola HAWAII’s partnership with the Hawai‘i Public Health Institute and its instrumental role in achieving the Community Engagement Core’s (CEC) priority of authentic community engagement in health research. HIPHI provides the operational support for CEC to efficiently process contracts and move funds to community partners for events that bring research directly to community members. This partnership has made a significant impact on how research and data reach communities, and it has grown through HIPHI’s diverse networks.

CEC Co-Director JoAnn Tsark and HIPHI Community Research Program Manager Sairel Labasan attended the 2026 RCMI Conference this past July to spotlight this university and nonprofit partnership. Their poster, “Embedding the Community Engagement Core in Community,” highlighted CEC’s strategies, activities, and outcomes, including 21 Report to Community events and 28 Community Research Capacity Trainings that collectively engaged over 2,800 community members over the past four years.

The RCMI Conference is an annual event that brings together the 23 RCMI U54 Centers from across the United States, including Hawai‘i and Puerto Rico. Led by the RCMI Coordinating Center, the conference is an opportunity for senior scientists, collaborators, community leaders, pilot project awardees, students, and staff to share information, spark collaboration, and celebrate the successes of the past year.

This year’s conference celebrated 40 years of national leadership, with much of the discussion centered on expanding RCMI’s community health impact, particularly through more public health initiatives that prioritize community education and partnerships. As an organization focused on public health, it was exciting to hear public health recognized as a key driver of that effort. HIPHI and CEC will continue to serve as a bridge between research and community, championing cross-sector collaborations between the university and communities it serves.