Students from the Heritage High School in East Harlem had the exciting opportunity to participate in the 12th Annual New York City Epidemiology Forum (NYCEF), where they presented a research poster highlighting the impactful work of CCISP’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC). Accompanied by Dr. Danielle Laraque-Arena, Co-Director of the Training and Education Core of the Injury Research Center, CIS’ David Kener and Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology student Hannah Xu, the students proudly shared their findings with public health professionals, researchers, educators, and fellow youth advocates from across New York City.
The poster presentation, titled The Science of Safety: The Role of Youth Advisory Councils, explored how youth voices and lived experiences can meaningfully inform safety initiatives, research, and community-based prevention strategies. The project emphasized the importance of engaging young people as active contributors in shaping safer and healthier communities.
This experience provided students with valuable exposure to academic research, public health advocacy, and professional conference settings, while also empowering them to see the importance of their perspectives in addressing real-world issues. We are incredibly proud of our students for representing their school and community with confidence, professionalism, and passion.
Check Out Columbia’s LinkedIn post about it here
For further reading about the conference and the topic it discussed click here
