The (CR)² includes experts in a variety of areas including social influence and message design, cognitive processes, emotion and decision making, public relations, and intercultural communication. We also offer a wide variety of methodological expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research methodology. Our team also has expertise across a range of risk and health related issues. We are able to draw from a diverse set of fields including communication, psychology, sociology, public health, survey methodology, public relations, and statistics. We understand the value of communicating risk and are committed to the quality of our services.

We provide services such as:

1. CDCynergy Workshops: Our center offers authorized training in CDCynergy, a multi-media tool used for planning, managing, and evaluating public health communication programs. This innovative tool is used to guide and assist users in designing health communication interventions within a public health framework on a national, state, and/or local level and has been tailored to several disciplines within public health. Our director, Dr. Monique Turner is a qualified national CDCynergy trainer. [CDCynergy Brochure]

2. Experimental and Survey Research: We have expertise in experimental and survey design. The center is also equipped with a research lab where we can conduct experimental research in carefully controlled setting or to accommodate a number of participants to complete computer surveys. The (CR)² is equipped with the best experimental and survey software and hardware. We can collect data on thinking processes as they occur and reaction time to risk stimuli. The (CR)² is also equipped with a mobile computer laboratory. We can conduct experimental and survey research in the field.

3. Focus groups and Interviews: Our center includes researchers trained in qualitative methods that can gather in-depth information about perceptions, opinions, beliefs, and attitudes. We can develop moderator guides, moderate focus groups, and analyze and report focus group findings using advanced data analysis techniques. Our research facility offers discussion room with tables that can be configured for focus groups or a more intimate setting for mini-groups, triads, or dyads.

4. Message/Campaign Design: We can create strategic messages to inform and motivate a particular audience. With experts in message design, intercultural communication, and public relations, we can conduct formative research to develop effective messages that are culturally appropriate as part of a professionally designed campaign. One of our laboratory rooms looks like a living room; this allows us to test televised messages in a more realistic setting.

5. Campaign Implementation: We can organize programs and manage communication with various publics. We can provide communication support for a campaign through developing promotional print and media materials and coordinating public/ media relations.

6. Evaluation: We can conduct quantitative and qualitative assessments of campaigns to determine perceptions of message content and cultural appropriateness and empirically evaluate the effectiveness of a message with a particular audience.

7. Media Tracking: We have special software that allows us to track any key terms and phrases in the media. We can provide tables and charts regarding how many times, per channel, per day that your key words are mentioned. We can also content analyze these media stories. If you want to know how often (and where) anything particular concept is talked about by the media—contact us.

Contact the center at riskcenter@umd.edu for a cost estimate.