The ASPPH IDEA Institute
Innovation, Discovery, and Excellence in Academia
At ASPPH, we believe the future of public health starts in the classroom and grows in the community. That’s why we’re proud to introduce the IDEA Institute: a dynamic, evolving initiative created to support academic public health institutions in transforming how they teach, learn, and lead.
Whether you’re a faculty member reshaping your syllabus, a student seeking belonging and purpose in your education, or a partner organization championing equity and innovation, the IDEA Institute is designed to support your journey and amplify your impact, including through tools like ARIE, our AI-powered chatbot.
A future-facing approach to academic public health transformation
The IDEA Institute was created in response to a challenge: how do we ensure public health education keeps pace with the urgent, complex issues our communities face? ASPPH listened to its members, including faculty, students, administrators, and our partners, and heard a clear message: We need a space for innovation, a structure for equity, and tools we can actually use.
Introducing a New Kind of Resource Hub
The IDEA Institute is reimagining how academic public health communities access, share, and apply knowledge.
Our vision is to serve as the nation’s leading clearinghouse for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL)—a trusted source for curated, peer-vetted tools, frameworks, and recognition opportunities. Our resources are aligned with the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) competencies, emphasizing student achievement, institutional excellence, and the social justice mission of public health education.
From Static Repository to Living Classroom
The IDEA Institute is more than a library of resources. It’s a Teaching Assistant, a Faculty Portal, and a collaborative lab for innovation. The redesigned structure builds on ASPPH’s previous resource hub and expands its purpose. IDEA will:
Support day-to-day teaching across institutions
Reinforce student acquisition of foundational public health competencies
House responsibly developed, AI-generated knowledge, augmented by student creativity
Serve as a classroom companion for applied learning
Through this platform, curricula can evolve in real time, shaped by both evidence and imagination.
Our Mission and Vision
Mission
To create, adopt, and develop tools that provide relevant, equity-centered information to transform academic public health.
Vision
To elevate the scholarship of equity through bold approaches to teaching, research, practice, advocacy, and community engagement—powered by innovative technology.
Our Strategy: Three Learning Anchors
The IDEA Institute is designed as a dynamic learning environment that functions as:
A Laboratory
A space for discovery and innovation
A Classroom
A forum for continuous, applied learning
Together, these anchors support a lifelong learning ecosystem, from K-12 exposure to professional development across academic, organizational, and community settings.
Our Pillars of Impact
The Institute’s work is grounded in four strategic focus areas that guide our initiatives and partnerships:
Academic Public Health for the 21st Century
Preparing a forward-thinking, equity-driven workforce
Fostering Student Belonging and Engagement
Creating inclusive, empowering educational environments
Teaching, Research, and Practice in Action
Bridging research and real-world application
Interprofessional, Community-Engaged Scholarship
Collaborating across sectors for greater impact
Turning Recommendations into Action
The IDEA Institute also supports the development of actionable goals based on national expert panel recommendations and other public health reports.
Some of our expert-led initiatives focused on:
- Gun Violence Prevention
- Climate Change and Health
- Dismantling Structural Racism
- Inclusive Excellence in Public Health Education
- Healthy Longevity
- Public Health Leadership
- Framing the Future 2030
- AI in Public Health
The IDEA Institute translates these recommendations into accessible frameworks, tools, and use cases, empowering our members to implement evidence-based, equity-centered, and scalable change.
Innovation with Intention: Meet ARIE
IDEA is also home to ARIE—the AI Resource for Institutional Excellence.
ARIE is ASPPH’s equity-centered chatbot, developed in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS), to support academic public health learners and leaders at all levels. ARIE is continually evolving, and new resources will be added regularly.
- ARIE answers public health questions using curated, evidence-based content.
- It helps students develop skills in critical thinking, prompt writing, and concept application.
- It gives faculty insights through anonymized usage data.
- It is designed around ethical and responsible technology use, a core value of the IDEA Institute
Who We Work With
These collaborators help us expand our impact across sectors and guide our work as we respond to pressing public health needs.
Get Involved
ASPPH is excited to offer opportunities to:
- Participate in webinars and peer learning sessions
- Explore and contribute to our Faculty Portal
- Share your public health story
- Be recognized for contributions to teaching, learning, and equity
We hope you will join us in transforming the future of academic public health.
