Public Health & AI Summer School

AI for Public Health Initiative

Public Health & AI Summer School

The Public Health & AI Summer School at the Zuckerman College of Public Health (offers an immersive, hands-on educational experience designed to equip graduate students, research staff, faculty, and public health professionals with essential skills in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and digital public health. Recognizing the critical role AI plays in modernizing public health practice, our summer school fosters deep AI literacy, bridging the gap between public health practitioners and technological innovation.

2026 AI for Public Health Summer School

Group photo of participants at the inaugural 2025 AI for Public Health Summer School

June 8–11, 2026
Grand Challenges Research Building · University of Arizona

Building on the success of the 2025 inaugural program, the 2026 Summer School expands its scope with two distinct learning tracks designed to meet professionals at different stages of AI engagement. Participants will deepen their understanding of artificial intelligence while developing practical strategies for responsible implementation in public health contexts.

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Two Tracks. One Integrated Experience.

AI Literacy

Foundations for Public Health Professionals

The AI Literacy track is designed for participants seeking a structured introduction to artificial intelligence and its relevance to population health. No coding or technical background is required.

Across four days, participants will examine core AI concepts, generative tools, practical use cases, and ethical considerations. Emphasis is placed on critical evaluation, responsible adoption, and effective communication about AI in professional settings.

Participants will gain the ability to:

  • Explain foundational AI concepts
  • Evaluate AI tools and applications
  • Develop effective prompting strategies
  • Identify relevant public health use cases
  • Navigate ethical and equity considerations

AI Fluency

Applied Implementation and Advanced Practice

The AI Fluency track is intended for professionals who have prior exposure to AI tools and are prepared to advance toward implementation and leadership.

Participants will engage in hands-on development of reproducible workflows, geospatial analysis, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems, and responsible AI frameworks. Using real-world datasets, attendees will build deployable solutions and evaluation strategies applicable to organizational contexts.

Participants will gain the ability to:

  • Develop reproducible AI-enabled workflows
  • Implement and evaluate RAG systems
  • Apply version control practices
  • Deploy geospatial AI approaches
  • Lead AI initiatives responsibly

Shared Program Components

AI Maker Space: Collaborative afternoon lab sessions focused on building and testing real-world projects.

Expert Panels: Structured discussions with leaders in health AI, addressing governance, modernization, environmental impact, and applied innovation.

Professional Community: Connection to a growing network of practitioners integrating AI into public health practice.

Recognition: Participants who meet completion criteria will receive a University of Arizona micro-credential and digital badge.

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Financial support through the Dean's Fund is available for students, making the summer school accessible and inclusive. Supported by the Zuckerman College of Public Health, the Global Health Institute, and the Data Science Institute, this initiative positions participants at the forefront of public health innovation, ready to leverage AI for impactful health outcomes globally.

Program Highlights

Explore highlights from previous cohorts of the AI for Public Health Summer School.

2025 Program

June 9–12, 2025

The inaugural AI for Public Health Summer School introduced participants to generative artificial intelligence tools for public health research and practice. Over four days, attendees explored both foundational and advanced topics—including digital epidemiology, AI and machine learning fundamentals, generative AI applications, digital biomarkers, precision public health, and ethical AI integration.

Interactive AI Maker Space sessions provided hands-on experience with emerging tools, with an emphasis on data management, visualization, spatial epidemiology, and AI-assisted analysis using low- and no-code platforms.

Beyond technical skill-building, the program emphasized critical thinking, responsible AI governance, and equity-centered implementation. Participants engaged with industry leaders and faculty experts to examine real-world applications of AI in surveillance, forecasting, risk prediction, and administrative workflows—while developing strategies for ethical evaluation, human oversight, and practical project implementation.

Read the recap story > See the 2025 Program >