My research interests primarily focus on the nexus between community and higher education (namely, research and teaching), and the impact of that nexus on each sphere, respectively and collectively.
My master’s research explored perspectives of two Canadian non-profit organizations on how they understood, used, and experienced program evaluation and research as it relates to their work (link to the article: http://anserj.ca/index.php/cjnser/article/view/143). This research sparked my curiosity and passion for examining how communities, community groups, and community-based organizations interact with research, evaluation, and data; the opportunities and challenges in that interaction; and the outcomes that emerge from it.
Simultaneously, I am interested in researching moments when community is brought to research and teaching in higher education, and the opportunities, challenges, and impact of those moments. In terms of research, I am keenly interested in the emergence of community-engaged scholarship in the field of Sociology, and the energetic and interesting debate that has sparked within the discipline. In terms of teaching, I’m interested in how community-focused teaching initiatives, such as community-service learning, impact community partners, student learning, and teaching best practice.
Finally, I am also actively engaged in research on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).
Stan Yu 