Azlan Smith, a doctoral student in writing studies, earned a Call to Action Research Award from the Chancellor's Research Program for their project entitled “Voices of Cancer.”
The program provides support for academic research and the expansion of community-based knowledge that advances the understanding of systemic bias and structural disparities, and enhances the capacity and capability of Illinois to affect societal change.
The project led by Smith, Zeynep Madak-Erdogan (College of ACES/Cancer Center at Illinois), and Craig Alonzo Richard (Cancer Center at Illinois) will receive $75,000 to address cancer disparities through storytelling, research, and community engagement. Responding to documented cancer outcome disparities among underserved populations in central Illinois, the project aims to transform cancer research at the University of Illinois by increasing historically excluded groups’ representation and identifying barriers to patient-centered research.
The award recognizes the project's potential for near-term societal impact.
Editor’s note: To learn more about the Voices of Cancer project, visit the Chancellor’s Research Program website.