Using research to solve societal problems starts with building connections and making space for young people

• Often, when scientists do research around a specific societal challenge, they hope their work will help solve that larger problem.
• Yet translating findings into long-lasting, community-driven solutions is much harder than most expect.
• Issues like climate change, renewable energy, public health and migration are complex, making direct solutions challenging to develop and implement.

Defining use-inspired research

• A framework called use-inspired research and engagement, or UIRE, acknowledges this fact.
• In use-inspired research, the potential applications of findings for society shape the directions of exploration.
• Use-inspired research expands on translational research, prioritizing building connections between practitioners and communities.
• In the U.S., the passage of the CHIPS and Science Act in 2022 further codified use-inspired research.

Producing science in partnership

• Together, these teams apply the results and develop products, implement behavior changes, or further inform community decision-making.
• For example, a large hospital, an academic organization and several nonprofits may partner together to explore issues affecting health care accessibility in the region.

• These groups can then collaborate further to develop specific programs, such as educational initiatives and enhanced health care services.
• They can tailor these to the needs of the community they serve.
• Use-inspired research matters because it looks at all the different issues facing a community holistically and keeps them in mind when investigating potential solutions.
• UIRE is not a substitute for basic, foundational research, which explores new questions to fundamentally understand a topic.

Harnessing early-career engagement

• They also focus on making the findings accessible to those outside academia.
• To craft necessary solutions for complex societal problems, institutions will need to continue backing traditional scholars who excel at pure basic research.
• Creating opportunities for the ongoing involvement of young people will seed a vibrant future for use-inspired research and engagement.

Zoey England is currently completing a Use-Inspired Research Science Communications fellowship, funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation. She has also received funding from CTNext. Jennifer Forbey receives funding from the National Science Foundation. Michael Muszynski receives funding from the National Science Foundation. He is affiliated with the Maize Genetics Cooperation.