Wake Forest Translational Science Institute (TSI)

Program in Community Engagement (PCE)

The Program in Community Engagement (PCE) facilitates collaboration among community members, community health care providers, and scientists in translational science.

Foodways & Roadways: A Cross Campus and Community Collaboration

On April 19th, the TSI Program in Community Engagement, through the support of Dr. Sara Quandt, and the Wake Forest University Documentary Film Program, hosted a unique multi-media exhibit called Foodways & Roadways. The project was developed and produced by Jessica Pic of Wake Forest University’s Documentary Film Program and Margaret Savoca, PhD, of Wake Forest School of Medicine, Department of Public Health Sciences. The exhibit consists of archival photographs, filmed oral histories from older Winston Salem residents, and current photographs taken by local middle-school students to tell the story of the changing food environment in the city over the last few decades.

With the tremendous support and participation from the Winston Lake YMCA Active Older Adults group and the afterschool program, the exhibit was able to show how food access has been dramatically changed in Winston Salem due to urban renewal and the lack of economic development particularly in the section of East Winston. Attendees viewed three short films where older adult and long-time residents of Winston Salem recalled how food was purchased, prepared and consumed during their childhoods. Students of the YMCA afterschool program took contemporary photographs of their own local food environment capturing school lunches, candy displays, fast food signs, and produce bins to show how they encounter food in the community.

The exhibit opening brought in over 120 people and was extended through April 24th where an additional 140 people were able to attend. 

View more pictures of the exhibit

Check out more on healthy living and research in our new section Your Health.

Program Goals

Create programs that build, sustain and expand the interest and capacity of community members to collaborate in translational science.

  • Build, sustain and expand the interest and capacity of community health care providers to collaborate in translational science.
  • Implement programs to expand the interest and capacity of scientists at Wake Forest to engage community members and community health care providers in translational science.
  • Support the development and implementation of community based research.
  • Disseminate new knowledge for use by community members and community health care providers in improving health.