University of New Mexico Will Host Research Conference

The event on September 24-25 will bridge local and Latin American research perspectives.

Updated on Sept. 23, 2026 in Cultural

A sunny courtyard on a historic university campus with warm-toned brick masonry and native desert sage plants. — The University of New Mexico hosts a two-day community-based research conference starting Thursday, exploring collaborative methods in academic and community projects. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should local residents have a direct role in shaping academic research projects in their community?

The University of New Mexico is set to host a conference on community-based participatory research this Thursday and Friday. This event will explore collaborative methods first established by Latin American academics in the 1970s.

Why it matters

The conference aims to integrate international research traditions with local initiatives, such as the successful collaboration between researchers and Albuquerque officials to revitalize community spaces.

Community-based research recently facilitated the opening of a food and vendor market in Albuquerque’s International District in June 2026. This project was developed through active partnership between researchers and local District 6 representatives.

The players

University of New Mexico

This public research university serves as the host institution for the conference and a primary driver of local participatory research initiatives.

Nichole Rogers

As an Albuquerque City Councilor, she successfully opened a food and vendor market in the International District that originated from university research.

The details

The upcoming sessions will focus on how community members and academics co-create projects and share publication authorship. Attendees from the University of New Mexico and District 6 will participate in workshops to further refine these collaborative models.

The participatory research tradition began in the 1970s.
A food and vendor market opened in Albuquerque in June 2026.
The university conference takes place on September 24-25, 2026.

Industry Dynamics

The conference formalizes the adoption of the 1970s Latin American participatory research movement within modern institutional frameworks. This approach marks a departure from traditional top-down academic models by prioritizing shared authorship between researchers and community partners.

Attendees and local residents gain direct access to researchers and policy makers through these collaborative workshops. This involvement provides community members a practical platform to propose and influence local development projects in their own districts.

The takeaway

Participatory research bridges the gap between academic theory and tangible community improvements. By treating residents as co-creators rather than subjects, local initiatives gain better alignment with the actual needs of the neighborhood.