Public Health launches first AI summer program
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The University of Arizona’s Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health hosted its first-ever Public Health & AI Summer School from June 9–12, offering students, educators, and health professionals an intensive, hands-on learning experience in the ethical and effective use of artificial intelligence in public health.
Led by Onicio Leal Neto, PhD, MPH, and supported by the Global Health Institute and the Data Science Institute, the program provided foundational training in AI applications such as disease surveillance, forecasting, and administrative automation. Participants, regardless of prior experience, gained practical skills and used AI tools to create digital public health agents.
Key speakers included Nirav Merchant, director of the Data Science Institute; Marvin Slepian, MD, JD, from the Colleges of Medicine and Engineering; and Iman Hakim, MD, PhD, MPH, dean of the Zuckerman College. The program emphasized responsible AI use, transparency, and community benefit.
The summer school aligns with University of Arizona’s broader AI for Public Health Initiative and strategic investments in artificial intelligence and machine learning. With overwhelming interest—over 3,100 visitors to the program site and 52 participants selected from a diverse applicant pool—the event is expected to be the first of many, including plans for an international summit.