Innovation Lab
What is the Public Health Innovation Lab?
Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to participate in ASPPH’s Public Health Innovation Lab. In this team-based experience, students will learn how to apply innovation strategies, processes, and technology to develop solutions to pressing public health challenges among people ages 18-24.
This exclusive opportunity is limited to ten teams, who will compete for a $1,500 prize.
Virtual Interest Meeting
Join us on Thursday, January 15 at 3:00 PM ET to learn more about the 2026 Public Health Innovation Lab!
Why Participate in the Innovation Lab?
Participating in the Public Health Innovation Lab will provide teams access to extensive training, as well as the opportunity to win great prizes. Teams will learn about human-centered design (HCD) from recognized experts and will have the opportunity to use HCD tools and strategies to develop a real-world solution to a public health challenge of their choosing. This opportunity is a great way to apply theories learned in the classroom to a real public health problem, while gaining new skills that add value to your resume.
In addition to expert training in HCD, the winning team will:
Receive $1,500
($500 per team member)
Be highlighted in ASPPH’s
social media and Friday Letter
All team members will receive:
A Certificate of
Completion
Receive Free registration to the ASPPH Annual Meeting
Snacks and beverages
during the in-person sessions
Innovation Lab Details
Teams will register to participate in the Innovation Lab. Registration opens January 15 through Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Registration is first-come, first-served, with a waitlist if needed. Here’s what you’ll do:
Orientation
All participating teams will join a virtual orientation session on Friday, February 27, from 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET. This orientation session provides:
- A brief primer on the use of HCD in public health
- An overview of the Innovation Lab schedule and approach
- Instructions to begin mapping and selecting the public health problem your team will address
- Have a chance to ask any questions about the Lab
In-Person Sprints
Next, teams will attend an in-person sprint March 15-20, 2026, in Arlington, VA. This will include in-person sessions each day, Sunday, March 16 from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM and Monday to Thursday, March 16-19 from 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM ET. During these sessions, teams will receive expert guidance in applying HCD to their identified problem and will work through facilitated activities to move from idea to solution. Teams will need to complete some work outside of the sessions, at times that work best for their team, to finalize their solution and pitch.
Pitch
Finally, on Friday, March 20 from 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM, teams will pitch their solutions to a panel of expert judges at the 2026 ASPPH Annual Meeting, in Arlington, VA. Teams may arrive as early as 8:00 AM ET to practice but must be present by 9:00 AM ET to participate in the final pitch.
Registered teams will receive additional information on the pitch and judging criteria closer to the event date.
How Do I Sign Up?
First, form a team of three graduate and/or undergraduate students. Innovation benefits from multiple, diverse perspectives, so consider comprising your team from diverse disciplines or subjects (e.g. public health, nursing, medicine, law, business, engineering, communications, IT, gender studies, anthropology, sociology, economics, etc.) or diverse disciplines within public health (e.g. environmental health, policy, prevention and community health, etc.). Teams are encouraged, but not required, to include graduate and undergraduate students.
Then, have one person register the entire team. Registration will open on Thursday, January 15, 2026.
One person will register for an entire team. You will need the following information:
- University
- Team Name – Be fun and creative!
- In one sentence or less, what public health problem (broadly) among people ages 18-24 is your team hoping to address through the Innovation Lab?
- What excites your team about participating in the Innovation Lab?
- Have any team members participated in a design challenge, innovation lab, work, or training about human-centered design/design thinking before? (Y/N)
- If yes, please provide name of team member(s) and details about prior event(s).
- If your team is based outside of the DC-metro area, do you have funding secured to travel to Arlington, VA for the week of the event?
- How did you hear about this opportunity?
Teams should also be prepared to provide the following information before the event for each team member:
- Name (First, Last)
- Email Address
- Preferred Name
- Pronouns
- Phone Number
- Major
- Dietary allergies or restrictions
- Emergency contact (Name, Phone Number)
- Confirmation of ability to attend every session of the Innovation Lab:
- Commitment to attending the Virtual Orientation on Friday, February 27, 2026 from 2:00 – 3:30 PM ET
- Commitment to attending every in-person session, Sunday, March 15 – Friday, March 20, 2026, in Arlington, VA
Registration is first-come, first-served, but will remain open until Sunday, February 1, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET. Teams will be confirmed no later than Friday, February 6, 2026.
Learn more before you apply by joining us for a virtual interest meeting on Thursday, January 15, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET.
Have questions? Contact students@aspph.org