2025 Summer Institute
The 2025 Institute for Civically Engaged Research (ICER) marked an exciting new chapter as the program convened in Los Angeles for the first time. Hosted in partnership with the Center for Community Engagement at the University of California, Los Angeles, and supported by the Haynes Foundation, the institute brought together scholars from across the United States and abroad to explore how rigorous research and community partnership can work together to address pressing public challenges.
The 2025 institute was held July 7-10 and led by co-directors Peter Levine (Tufts University), Samantha Majic (John Jay College- CUNY), and Adriano Udani (University of Minnesota) who were joined by a cohort of 20 Fellows. Over four immersive days, ICER Fellows participated in workshops, lectures, and collaborative sessions designed to strengthen their capacity to conduct ethical, impactful civically engaged research (CER). Programming focused on defining engaged research, navigating ethics and IRB processes, building community partnerships, writing with collaborators, conducting CER internationally, and considering career pathways. Discussions were grounded in real-world contexts, with attention to issues shaping Los Angeles and Southern California, including immigration, criminal legal reform, local governance, and social equity.
Fellows learned directly from engaged scholars and practitioners whose work demonstrates the public impact of CER. Some highlights included Dr. Fonna Forman’s shared lessons from cross-border university–community partnerships in the San Diego–Tijuana region. Dr. David Turner III discussed how community-engaged research on incarceration has informed policy change, including advocacy connected to California Senate Bill 439 which established a minimum age for juvenile prosecution with the aim of protecting young children from the the harmful, long-term effects of incarceration. ICER 2022 alum Dr. Sara Sadhwani reflected on translating engaged scholarship into institutional revitalization through her work on the California Citizens Redistricting Commission and as a member of the Los Angeles County Governance Reform Taskforce.
The residential structure of the institute fostered a strong sense of intellectual community. Shared meals, informal discussions, and small-group sessions created space for fellows to exchange feedback, brainstorm projects, and build lasting professional relationships. Los Angeles-based fellows also organized informal gatherings that allowed visiting and international participants to experience the city.
A welcome reception brought ICER Fellows together with the Haynes Foundation’s Governance and Democracy Research Fellows, UCLA leadership, and regional civic partners, setting an energizing tone for the week. Remarks from APSA Executive Director Dr. Kimberly Mealy underscored the importance of civically engaged research to the political science discipline, while Executive Vice Chancellor, Dr. Darnell Hunt reflected on why Los Angeles serves as an ideal site for engaged scholarship and why community-engaged research is central to UCLA’s institutional mission and priorities.
Participant reflections captured the spirit of ICER 2025. Fellows described the institute as collaborative, energizing, and affirming, particularly valuing a space where methodological rigor and civic commitment were treated as mutually reinforcing. Many left with renewed clarity, strengthened networks, and concrete ideas for advancing engaged research in their own institutions and communities.
With the conclusion of ICER 2025, the ICER community has grown to 113 fellows, reflecting the expanding reach of civically engaged research across the discipline. As this alumni network deepens, so does the collective capacity for scholars and communities to collaborate in addressing urgent public challenges and improve governance. The Los Angeles-based institute underscored APSA’s ability to deliver substantive, field-shaping programming while developing and strengthening new partnerships.