Research Opportunity: Our Voice - Citizen Science for Health Equity
This research opportunity is part of the Urban Studies Research Program. Students who participate will work with their faculty mentor, and will also share their findings at a research symposium with students and faculty working on other projects. To learn more about the Urban Studies Research Program, see our website.
Project Title: Our Voice Local & Global Citizen Science Initiative for Health Equity
Faculty Member: Abby King and Ann Banchoff
Abstract: Our Voice is a global research initiative that aims to provide community members from all backgrounds, cultures, and walks of life with the skills and support to help improve local environments to advance health equity. The Our Voice research method consists of 4 steps (Discover, Discuss, Activate, and Change) and starts with an easy-to-use multilingual mobile app that allows users to record geotagged photos, comments and ratings about community features impacting health and health behaviors. After using the app to gather physical and social environmental data, Our Voice“citizen scientists” work with others in a facilitated process, to review collective data and identify and prioritize areas for change, focusing on feasibility. They then share their findings and recommendations with local decisionmakers and work together to make change happen. This citizen science method has been successfully adapted for projects on the Stanford campus, across the Bay Area and the US, and in more than 20 other countries. The focus of individual Our Voice projects spans food access; walkability/bikeability; safe routes to school; age-friendly communities; access to parks and other green spaces; gender-based violence; and general well-being and inclusiveness in diverse communities.
The Our Voice Initiative, housed in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, is currently supporting over 30 local and global Our Voice projects. In gaining exposure to the full range of projects, students who work with us build knowledge about project planning and implementation as well as community-based participatory research methods; digital health data capture and visualization; working with diverse populations and cultures across the socio-economic continuum; and interdisciplinary and inter-cultural research. Our group is multi-cultural, collaborative, and supportive of all members, including students. We often find that we learn as much from students as they learn from us!
- Gain knowledge in a number of areas, including community-based participatory research methods, digital health data capture and visualization
- Additionally, become knowledgeable in citizen science approaches, working with diverse populations and cultures across the socio-economic continuum, local and global health issues and challenges, and interdisciplinary and inter-cultural research
Qualifications:
Strong interest in health equity and community-based participatory research with diverse underrepresented communities; openness to learning about and employing qualitative research methods; strong communication and listening skills; superior work ethic; and ideally some track-record of working effectively with underserved populations. A real plus would be specific interest in helping us to build a social media campaign to highlight research activities and findings across our Global Research Network.
Enrollment & Academic Standing
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Students must be current undergraduates in good standing at Stanford.
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Students must be enrolled in units while using VPUE grant funding, except during the Summer.
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Students may not receive both academic units and a stipend for any single project activity.
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Co-terms who have not conferred their undergraduate degree and who are still paying undergraduate (not graduate) tuition are eligible for VPUE funding.
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Students may not be serving a suspension.
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Students may not be on a Leave of Absence (LOA) while using grant funding.
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VPUE does not use a GPA requirement for student eligibility, nor does VPUE encourage the use of GPA as a criterion for inclusion in a research opportunity.
Quarters Available:
- Winter, part-time
- Spring, part-time
- Full-time summer placement may be arranged instead, depending on students' availability
Stipend:
Part-time projects: $1500 per quarter; 10 hours / week.
