Get involved in research

Community-Engaged Research Playbook (to be available fall 2026)

The Community-Engaged Research Playbook, which is coming soon, will be a practical guide to conducting community-engaged research at Mayo Clinic. The playbook will be designed for researchers, staff and community partners, providing educational materials, tools, resources and step-by-step guidance to support meaningful community engagement throughout the research process. The playbook will offer best practices and the ability to access resources to strengthen your community-engaged research efforts.

A woman sits in front of a computer screen showing the people on a conference call.

Community Engagement Studios

Share your lived experience as a community expert. Whether you have navigated a diagnosis yourself or cared for someone who has, you hold valuable insights that can shape the future of health research. And those insights make you a community expert.

By sharing your perspective in a Community Engagement Studio, you can:

  • Help researchers design studies that better reflect real-world needs.
  • Increase the impact and relevance of health research.
  • Learn about ongoing studies that affect your community.

Who should register

To register, you must be 18 years old or older. No research background is required — just your personal experience.

What to expect

As a community expert, you can:

  • Join virtual meetings.
  • Share your ideas with researchers in a small-group setting. Personal details will be removed to protect your identity.
  • Earn money for participating in each meeting.

Get started

Register now to participate in a Community Engagement Studio. Direct questions to the Community Engagement Studio team.

Two people in a meeting.

Community Scientist Program

Drive discovery as a community scientist

Become a research partner and advocate for better science as a community scientist. Community scientists will build basic research knowledge through an eight-week training session led by Mayo Clinic researchers and then apply it in a six-week learning assignment.

You can receive $750 after completing both training phases. Those who continue their engagement as ongoing collaborators for at least a year may receive up to $3,000 per year.

Bring your lived experience combined with research training to help design studies, provide community-informed input and share research findings with the broader community.

Who should apply:

Community members should consider applying if they have:

  • Interest in science, specifically health related research.
  • Experience with cancer as a survivor, caregiver or advocate.
  • Experience or interest in working within communities to improve overall health and quality of life.
  • A high school diploma or GED diploma equivalent.

What to expect:

As part of the program, community scientists:

  • Complete an eight-week virtual training (1 to 2 hours per week).
  • Complete a six-week hands-on training session with a research study team.
  • Collaborate on a research project for at least a year (about 5 to 6 hours a month).
  • Receive stipends for your time and contributions.

Apply today to become a community scientist.

Community Research Exchange Newsletter

Stay connected

The Community Research Exchange is a bimonthly newsletter that provides the most recent updates on community-engaged research efforts from Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center's office of Community Outreach and Engagement and Mayo Clinic's Center for Clinical and Translational Science (CCaTS).

Subscribe to the Community Research Exchange newsletter.