Our Center
WHO WE ARE
The Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center (SIRC) is located in the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions at Arizona State University (ASU) and closely affiliated with the School of Social Work. SIRC was established in 2002 as a Research Consortium funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and was awarded ASU Center status in 2004 by the Arizona Board of Regents. SIRC continues to be funded by NIH and other federal agencies as well as grants and contracts from local governmental and non-profit organizations. SIRC was founded by Dr. Flavio Marsiglia and now is directed by Dr. Sabrina Oesterle, Associate Professor in the School of Social Work. SIRC consists of an interdisciplinary team of over 50 researchers, evaluators, administrative staff, students, interns and affiliated faculty from across ASU. A long-standing Community Advisory Board advises all of SIRC’s work. We have been advancing our mission through community-engaged research, evaluation, training, and technical assistance led by three integrated offices: The Office of Research, the Office of Evaluation and Partner Contracts, and the Office of Refugee Health.
VISION
Health Equity in the Southwest and beyond
MISSION
We partner with communities to conduct research and develop solutions to eliminate health disparities
VALUES
SCIENTIFIC PRIORITIES
In 2020, SIRC embarked on a year-long strategic planning initiative in collaboration with Phoenix-based Beyond Strategy Consulting Group (https://beyondstrategy.org/). The outcome of this strategic planning effort was the development of a refreshed vision, mission, and value statements, the identification of five key dimensions of success, and the selection of four scientific priority areas.
Dimensions of Success
Research and Evaluation
We uphold the highest standards of scientific rigor as we conduct our research and evaluation, using community-based approaches that directly engage people as experts in their communities. Our diverse interdisciplinary teams meaningfully contribute to high impact scholarship and practice by developing, testing, and disseminating innovative solutions to achieve health equity.
Partnerships
We strive to develop, maintain, and expand community, research, and evaluation partnerships that reflect the demographic and cultural diversity of our communities. These partnerships leverage the diversity in knowledge and expertise needed to generate solutions for the complex health-related challenges our communities face.
Sustainability
We ensure the sustainability and lasting impact of our work by tending to our organizational capacity and partnerships. This is achieved through sustaining a healthy work environment and culture, engaging in continuous learning, & sharing knowledge and solutions.
Services
We provide high-quality services in research, evaluation, technical assistance, and training to build individual and organizational capacity. Our services contribute to measurable and lasting impact
Communication
We put communication at the center of what we do. We listen to and share with our community to build knowledge, translate research into practice, and influence policy.