Past Projects | NYU School of Global Public Health

Past Project Descriptions

Academic Year 2023-2024

Examining NYU’s University Smoke-Free Campus Policy Implementation

NYU lacks data on tobacco and nicotine use among students that might inform NYU’s existing University Smoke-Free Campus Policy implementation. The students driving this project will be responsible for conducting a landscape analysis on the current state of nicotine consumption amongst NYU’s undergraduate student body and the school’s ability to screen, support, and treat students who use nicotine products. Special attention will be given to emerging trends in consumption (use of e-cigarettes and oral nicotine products) and treatment (mobile-based cessation interventions). Findings will be used to 1) understand attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors regarding nicotine consumption amongst NYU students, 2) determine what forms of intervention are most appropriate amongst this group, 3) identify the strengths and gaps in the school’s model for responding to these to these trends, and 4) disseminate evidence on tobacco use on campus that will support NYU leadership in implementing their Smoke-Free Campus Policy and additional tobacco cessation programs.

Academic Year 2022-2023

Advancing Tobacco Policy Implementation and Sustainability Through Advocacy

Students will work with New York City Treats Tobacco to identify and track specific citywide, borough, and community policies related to tobacco sales, taxation, and advertising in New York City. Specific topics include the upcoming NYC menthol ban and e-cigarette advertising tax and sales policies. Students will review the impact of comparable policies in other regions in the US to be able to develop recommendations for these policies in NYC. With a better understanding of the policy environment, students will help to track relevant policies, assess appropriate methods of education and develop, and execute a strategy for educating policymakers/decision makers and advocating for evidence-based policies.

Disseminating Information on Tobacco Policy Implementation Through Earned Media

Students will work with faculty and New York City Treats Tobacco in writing effective earned media pitches using evidence-based health communication strategies with the goal of disseminating relevant information about tobacco policy implementation and research. Using evidence-based health communications strategies, students will first develop a strategic communication and dissemination plan. Students will then implement and evaluate the effectiveness of their earned media dissemination.

Toolkit Development for Evidence-based Global Public Health Policy Implementation

Public health practitioners in communities, organizations and governments are invested in strengthening the research behind how to implement relevant changes into health policies and best practices. Students will work with faculty to develop easy to use implementation tools that build capacity and support those whose job it is to get evidence-based public health policies and programs into practice in a range of settings in the US and globally.