Summer Institute gives Birmingham-area high school students a closer look at Public Health

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School of Public Health News July 17, 2023

Summer institute students pose around and in front of giant white cut-out UAB letters on brick sidewalk.

In June, the School of Public Health’s Office of Public Health Practice, the Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety, and the Superfund Research Center co-hosted the Public Health Influencers Summer Institute for the second year. This free summer enrichment program welcomes a group of high school students from the Birmingham area to attend a week of immersive public health experiences through the UAB School of Public Health.

Activities include hands-on experiences at local clinics and non-profits including Birmingham Aids Outreach, Woodlawn United, and the Jones Valley Teaching Farm. This year, the students heard presentations from School of Public Health faculty and Birmingham City Officials including Mayor Randall Woodfin and City Councilor Darrell O’Quinn. The students also traveled to Montgomery to visit the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice.

Summer institute students outside the Legacy Museum. “We believe that engaging high school students with the many facets of public health can help bring awareness to the diverse opportunities available in our field,” said Jessica T. Chambliss, Ph.D., MPH, Assistant Dean of Public Health Practice, UAB School of Public Health.

“We find that many students at UAB may not know about public health until they get to campus. Our hope is that the institute will provide our local high school students with an introduction to environmental health, chronic and infectious disease prevention, epidemiology, and social and environmental justice, ultimately connecting students to experts in an area they are passionate about and showcasing the type of work they can expect to do after graduating in public health.”

Each year, the Public Health Influencer Summer Institute accepts up to 30 rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors from the greater Birmingham and surrounding areas. To apply, students complete a brief application including a statement on their interest in learning more about public health and how they can be a public health influencer within their social network. Those interested in participating next summer may contact the Office of Public Health Practice by emailing ophp@uab.edu.