Community Engagement & Education
Powered through a partnership with University of Minnesota Extension
Community Engagement & Education Hub (CEEd): The mission of the hub is to advance neuroscience by cultivating bi-directional relationships between MIDB and the various communities we work with—including youth, families, practitioners, and educators. We co-create community service, participatory research, and education initiatives that reflect shared priorities. We support innovative new platforms for dissemination of research findings and public health messaging, as well as community resilience and foster lifelong engagement with brain health. By integrating Extension’s on-the-ground insights and partnerships with MIDB’s research strengths, CEEd amplifies the impact of brain health research and community voice—informing local and state policy, elevating community perspectives in the research process, and cultivating meaningful and sustainable engagement across Minnesota.
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Our Expertise
The CEEd Hub supports clinicians, researchers, and staff across MIDB in building authentic, community-informed partnerships. We co-develop accessible brain health promotion services, and collaborate on initiatives that bridge science, education, and public health. Our work spans outreach, training, and strategic communication efforts that elevate community voices, support youth involvement, and promote shared learning between MIDB and the communities we serve. CEEd serves as a resource for researchers seeking to collaborate with communities, connect with local expertise, and build trust-based engagement strategies.
Our Directors
Lynne Borden, PhD, Co-Director, CEEd Hub, Professor and Associate Dean of Research and Engagement, UMN Extension
Dziwe Ntaba, MD, MPH, Co-Director, CEEd Hub and Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine
How We Engage
Our Team
Lynne Borden, PhD
Co-Director, CEEd Hub
Professor and Associate Dean of Research and Engagement, UMN Extension
Dziwe Ntaba, MD, MPH
Co-Director, CEEd Hub
Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine
Mark Otto
Director of Strategic Partnerships, UMN Extension
Rachel Ruthig
Coordinator
Examples of Our Engagement
Brain Health Solutions for All (In partnership with Strong Minds Strong Bodies Foundation and CdS)
The goal of this project is to help young people understand the power of the brain to strengthen themselves and their communities. CEEd has engaged with the youth by introducing hands-on activities that promote brain science as well as hosting community events at MIDB. The youth journalists will begin interviewing researchers and creating content to disseminate MIDB science in a more organic way.
BrainWaves
Supported by the City of Minneapolis, CEEd Hub and UMN Extension are developing curriculum around substance use and addiction. This curriculum is designed to engage middle school students in non-formal education settings, where interactive, hands-on learning experiences make neuroscience accessible and exciting. Each lesson incorporates activities that allow students to explore neuroscience concepts through model-building, sensory/motor/language exercises, and games.
Bridge Foundations Program
The Bridge Center, University of Minnesota, and HealthPartners have partnered to offer the Bridge Foundations Program, an exciting, opportunity to demonstrate emergency department (ED) and emergency medical services (EMS) leadership in reducing overdose risk and offer a pathway to treatment for patients experiencing opioid use disorder (OUD) in the Twin Cities. As deaths from overdose continue to rise throughout the country, paramedics and ED-based providers are well-positioned to provide low-barrier, 24/7 access to this life-saving medical care.
The Bridge Foundations Program is offering an eight-week intensive clinical training with individualized technical assistance for site champions and their team. Participants will include clinical leadership and practicing providers. You will ideally have the following in place prior to starting the training: a lead champion, administrative support of on site buprenorphine as medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) on formulary, and a list of considerations for post-ED referral.
Military Child & Family Collaboration Study
This project improves access to developmental and behavioral health services for highly mobile and geographically dispersed children, families, and caregivers in rural Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. Extension and the CEEd Hub play a critical role in elevating community voice and strengthening outreach impact. Through virtual and in-person focus groups, we engage families, service providers, and military-connected communities to identify barriers, priorities, and culturally responsive approaches to care access. This input directly shapes the design of the telehealth training and ECHO learning series, ensuring they reflect real community needs. Extension also promotes the project through conference presence and ongoing consultation, helping connect researchers with rural and military communities and advancing strategies for provider readiness, family navigation, and digital resource development.
Our Services
Open Door Policy
The CEEd Hub helps organizations access and navigate the resources of the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB). We guide partners through the process of using the Community Annex space, ensuring they feel welcomed and supported in hosting gatherings, events, or collaborative projects. From there, we connect them with the appropriate Research Facility Support Services, helping to triage introductions and streamline access so that community partners can meaningfully engage with the community rooms. Sign up for the Open Door Policy
Community Access
The CEEd Hub builds authentic connections between the community and the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain (MIDB). We collaborate with local organizations by listening to their unique needs and identifying meaningful ways to provide support. Through these partnerships, we create opportunities for communities to engage in research, participate in events, and access educational resources. Our goal is to ensure that every collaboration is responsive, inclusive, and grounded in mutual learning—bringing the world of MIDB into the community and the community into MIDB. Email Rachel Ruthig for more information.