Introduction: Community–Academic Partnerships in Research and Public Health

This symposium includes twelve personal narratives from individuals and teams who have been engaged in community–academic partnerships in research and public health. This issue also includes four commentaries on these narratives by experts in patient and research subject advocacy, healthcare and biomedical ethics, social science, and health education funding. While much has been written about community–academic partnerships, what appears in the literature does not include in–depth, personal reflection on the challenges and obstacles faced in these partnerships. With this symposium, we aim to stimulate reflection and discussion about creative approaches to community–academic partnerships in order to guide those who are both new to and experienced in community–engaged work.