UNM community engagement leader highlights collaboration, impact across New Mexico

For many universities, research is often confined to labs, classrooms or academic journals. At The University of New Mexico, community engagement is redefining that model by bringing research directly into communities across the state.

Tim Castillo, director of UNM's Office of Community Engagement and a professor of architecture, is helping lead that effort by connecting faculty expertise with real-world challenges facing New Mexicans.

"We're really about creating opportunities for our faculty and being a front door for our community members," Castillo said. "If someone has an issue they want to partner with UNM on, we help connect them to the right people."

Castillo, a native New Mexican, returned to UNM in 2002 after earning his graduate degree at Columbia University and working in architecture on the East Coast. Now in his 23rd year at the university, he has taken on multiple roles, including directing historic preservation and regionalism in the School of Architecture and Planning.

His work in community engagement, however, stems from a desire to give back.

"My passion has always been rural communities," Castillo said. "I started thinking about how I could use my skills to create opportunities not just for my students, but for communities across the state."

That mindset led to early initiatives like the "Plata Studio," a program focused on using design to support economic development in rural areas such as Grant County. Those experiences helped shape his broader approach to community-engaged research.

Today, the Office of Community Engagement serves as a central hub for partnerships between UNM and communities throughout New Mexico. The office connects organizations, local governments and residents with faculty and researchers across disciplines.

Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all solution, Castillo emphasizes collaboration and shared knowledge.

"The co-production of knowledge is really the core of community engagement," he said. "We value our community partners as much as our researchers because they bring lived experience we don't have."

Projects can range widely in scope. Some begin with community-identified needs, such as rebuilding efforts following wildfires in Mora County. Others stem from larger institutional or city-led initiatives, including infrastructure planning or public health programs.

In each case, the goal remains the same: to work alongside communities, not simply study them.

"We have to go in and really understand and leverage what communities already know," Castillo said. "That's how meaningful solutions happen."

The work has helped UNM earn and maintain its Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement, a national designation recognizing institutions with strong community partnerships. The university was reclassified in early 2026, reaffirming its commitment to serving the state.

Castillo credits that success to faculty and staff across campus who have long been engaged in this work, often without widespread recognition.

"There are so many people doing incredible work in New Mexico," he said. "Part of our role is to shine a light on that and help others connect with it."

The office has also focused on increasing visibility through digital storytelling and outreach, highlighting faculty projects and making it easier for community members to find potential collaborators.

As an architect, Castillo sees strong parallels between design and community engagement. Both require listening, empathy and a deep understanding of people's needs before developing solutions.

"One of the core values of design thinking is empathy," he said. "That translates directly into this work. It's about understanding people and working together to solve problems."

Looking ahead, Castillo hopes to expand interdisciplinary collaboration and strengthen partnerships across the state, aligning community engagement with UNM's broader mission of advancing New Mexico.

"The legacy of community engagement is really at the core of who UNM is," he said. "We're here to serve our communities, and that's what makes this work so meaningful."

To learn more about UNM's community engagement initiatives, visit engagement.unm.edu.

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