 Stakeholder engagement is essential for the success of any research project. It helps ensure that the research is relevant and meaningful to those who will be affected by the findings. When done properly, stakeholder engagement can also increase the likelihood of positive outcomes from the research. However, when not done carefully, stakeholder engagement can lead to negative consequences such as distrust or even sabotage of the research. Therefore, it is important to understand the science behind stakeholder engagement and how to apply it effectively. This article was authored by Paul Meissner, Linda B. Kotler, Milton Micheada and others.