Passport Program

Experiential Skill Development: Participants will have the opportunity to engage with Community Outreach and Participant Engagement Core field staff to gain knowledge about their partnerships with community organizations and residents. They will have the opportunity to observe and engage in participant recruitment, consent and enrollment processes, and data collection within rural Appalachian communities—building practical expertise in community-engaged tobacco regulatory science.

Community and Research Immersion: Participants will attend a Community Advisory Board meeting to experience collaborative decision-making in action and participate in Appalachian Research Day—an annual conference held in the heart of Appalachia and hosted by the University of Kentucky Center of Excellence in Rural Health. This event provides opportunities to join meaningful dialogue and connect with individuals of all ages who are advancing innovative health research across the region.

Collaborative Networking and Professional Growth: In addition to immersive field experiences, participants engage with leading investigators across the Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Science (TCORS), strengthening cross-institutional partnerships and expanding their professional networks. The program is supported by structured mentorship, grant writing guidance, and individualized scientific communication consultations to accelerate research impact.

This initiative is designed to cultivate the next generation of tobacco regulatory science leaders by equipping scholars with the skills to effectively apply Community-Engaged Research (CEnR) principles within TRS. Grounded in authentic community partnership and experiential learning in rural Appalachia, the program advances leadership development while strengthening the integration of community-engaged approaches into impactful tobacco regulatory science.

For more information, please contact Jasz at Jaspreet.chahal@uky.edu