The UF Health Cancer Institute Annual Research Showcase 2026, held on January 29th at the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom, highlighted the innovative multidisciplinary cancer research happening across the University of Florida. Among the participants were members of the UF Community Scientist Program, who brought valuable community perspectives to the event.
This year, Community Scientists Angela Howard, Stanley Richardson, Ty Davis, and Kristie Hill served as judges for poster presentations, offering valuable feedback grounded in lived experience and community perspectives. Their participation ensured that research projects were evaluated not only for scientific rigor, but also for clarity, relevance, and potential impact on communities.
Including Community Scientists as judges brings an important community voice into the research process. Their feedback encourages researchers to think beyond technical details and consider how their work is understood by—and matters to—the broader public. This exchange helps strengthen the connection between research and the communities it aims to serve.
The judging process also provides an opportunity for students and investigators to practice communicating their work in plain, accessible language. By explaining complex studies in ways that community members can easily understand, researchers gain critical skills while receiving meaningful, real-time feedback from non-academic stakeholders.
The Community Scientist Program is proud to support ongoing collaboration between researchers and community partners at the UFHCI Research Showcase, reinforcing the program’s commitment to inclusive, community-engaged cancer research.
