Public Health Technology Corps

Solve real-world problems at the intersection of public health and technology

The Public Health Technology Corps is the School of Technology for Public Health’s flagship, service-embedded learning experience. It provides students with structured, place-based opportunities to partner with community and cross-sector collaborators to advance projects that leverage technology to improve public health systems, infrastructure and population-level outcomes.

This innovative program places students with diverse partner organizations locally and globally — from public health departments and community health centers to Indigenous and tribal nations, nonprofit organizations, industry partners and government agencies. This is where students co-design, test and deploy technology-forward solutions in real-world settings.

The Corps serves as the applied practice experience for the Master of Public Health degree and the capstone experience for the Master of Science in public health technology. It embeds students in interdisciplinary teams that work alongside technologists, policymakers, clinicians and community leaders to solve complex public health challenges.

Public health technology scholars enhance their systems-thinking, implementation science, data analytics and human-centered design competencies while gaining extensive professional networking opportunities and leadership development experience. Through sustained collaboration with partners, students contribute to scalable solutions designed for adoption in resource-constrained and governmental environments. They also build lasting professional relationships within a cohort of like-minded Sun Devils dedicated to driving innovation and advancing health equity.

2024–25 projects

Optimizing Public Health Data Reporting Through United States Core Data Interoperability Adoption

Standardized data feeds from electronic health records to advance adoption of United States Core Data Interoperability standards. This project used technical, policy and legal analysis to explore how public health reporting systems could become more responsive, interoperable and actionable through standardized data exchange and to identify trigger mechanisms needed to enable system-wide implementation.

People gathered in a lab looking at a screen with diagrams

Review and Cost Reduction of Software and Applications at a Public Health Department

Explored methods for estimating the prevalence of opioid use disorder in an Arizona county to inform efforts to expand access to opioid agonist medication-assisted treatment, particularly buprenorphine. The work assessed existing local and state data sources, identified key gaps and reviewed methodologies used by other states to estimate treatment needs. In collaboration with organizational partners, the project examined what data were currently available and where additional data collection or access may be needed. This effort provided a strong foundation for future initiatives to refine local prevalence estimates and strengthen access to evidence-based treatment in the community.

Group of people looking at a clipboard and smiling

Advancing Health Equity: Indigenous Data Science Education

An annual workshop on tribal lands focused on Indigenous data science education in health-based artificial intelligence and machine learning. This project supported logistics, curriculum development, computational approaches, marketing and implementation — advancing culturally responsive AI capacity-building in partnership with Indigenous communities.

Heat-Related Morbidity and Mortality Mapping Project

A geospatial heat map that identified points of origin for heat-related deaths at the county or state level. This included identifying decedents, analyzing medical examiner and hospital records, collaborating with physicians and faculty to define data sources, and synthesizing findings into policy-ready insights that can strengthen prevention strategies and emergency preparedness systems.

Prospective Community Partners

Interested in hosting a School of Technology for Public Health student? We are seeking community partners dedicated to improving public health and who would benefit from additional support in areas such as data analysis, technology improvement, digital outreach or program evaluation. Whether you have a clearly defined project or are exploring an idea, we welcome the opportunity to connect. Our team will work with you to clarify the scope, ensure alignment and match you with a student whose skills meet your needs. If you’re interested, please complete our brief intake form or schedule a short consultation to learn more about partnering with the Public Health Technology Corps.

Prospective partner intake form Meet with our director