In 2000, the School of Education at the University of Cincinnati (UC) sought to hire a new faculty member, specifically, an action researcher. Dr. Mary Brydon-Miller, who was hired for the position and began working at the university that same year, recalls, “It was the only job I had ever seen that actually asked for someone who was an action researcher.” While the university hired Dr. Brydon-Miller, she recognized there was still little university-wide support and infrastructure for conducting action research (AR).

Dr. Brydon-Miller’s knew all those engaging in AR, both near and far, needed to be brought together in a collaborative and supportive community. She envisioned creating a center to assist action researchers in finding one another, sharing knowledge, and forming mutually beneficial connections. Further, she sought to provide a protected space for students and faculty conducting AR in an institutional context.