Are you ready to turn your creative ideas into real-world public health solutions? We invite undergraduate and graduate students to join our Virtual Interest Meeting on January 15, 2026, at 3:00 PM ET to learn more about the Public Health Innovation Lab held during the 2026 ASPPH Annual Meeting.
What Is the Innovation Lab?
The ASPPH Innovation Lab is a team-based public health design experience that equips students with tools and methods to address pressing public health challenges through human-centered design. Over the course of several days, teams will:
- Identify and map a significant public health issue
- Generate and prototype creative solutions
- Conduct user testing and iteration
- Prepare and deliver a compelling pitch to expert judges
Participants receive training in design thinking and innovation strategy, enriching their professional skillsets while tackling real-world problems alongside peers from diverse academic backgrounds.
Celebrating Past Innovation: 2025 Winners
Last year’s Public Health Innovation Lab showcased impressive creativity and thoughtful solutions from students across the DC-Baltimore region. At the 2025 ASPPH Annual Meeting, five teams pitched their solutions after a week of intensive development.
The University of Maryland School of Public Health team took home the top prize with their innovative app “Thread Lightly”, which tackles the issue of overconsumption, a challenge tied not only to environmental sustainability but also to student mental health and community connection. Their solution earned both the first-place award from the judges and the audience choice award.
The second-place team from the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health presented “Bear in Mind”, an app designed to expand accessibility to mental health care for college students, demonstrating the breadth of ideas generated through the Innovation Lab.
These student innovators exemplified how bold thinking, coupled with rigorous design methods, can lead to promising answers to real public health concerns, and we can’t wait to see what this year’s participants bring forward.
Why Participate?
Participating in the Innovation Lab offers students:
- Real-world experience applying human-centered design in public health
- Expert feedback and mentorship
- Opportunity to win $1,500 ($500 per team member)
- Recognition in ASPPH communications, including the Friday Letter and social media
- A certificate of completion for professional development portfolios
- Access to collaborative tools and in-person sprint sessions
- A platform to turn ideas into impact
Whether you’re passionate about health equity, sustainability, mental health, digital solutions, or community engagement, the Innovation Lab is your chance to put innovation into action.
Join the Virtual Interest Meeting
Interested students should mark their calendars for January 15 at 3:00 PM ET and register today. This session will walk through Lab logistics, expectations, and how to form your team.
We’re excited to build on the momentum of past Lab winners and see how the 2026 Innovation Lab inspires the next wave of public health problem-solvers.