A catalyst for bold public health practice, the Activist Lab at the School of Public Health works to equip the SPH community with the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to fight injustices and create conditions for a world in which all people can reach their full potential.  

Central to this mission is connecting and engaging with students to help them turn their ideas into real word action and discover what practicing public health boldly and authentically looks like for them based on their own lived experiences.

To assist students in getting more involved with the Activist Lab, Ellisa Dockstader, a second-year MPH student studying health policy and law with a context certificate in human rights and social justice, works as the Activist Lab’s student engagement intern. In this role, she manages the Activist Lab’s social media platforms, attends and promotes events put on by organizations within the SPH community, and highlights students’ practice work through written content.  

With most of the SPH community planning to be back on campus this fall, Dockstader says she is excited for more opportunities for student engagement in the upcoming semester.

“The community you can build at SPH is fantastic, but throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been difficult to stay engaged,” she says. “I want to help make getting and staying connected with both the Activist Lab and the SPH community, as a whole, easier for our students, especially those who have felt really disconnected over the last year and a half.”

Dockstader shared more about her role and how students can get involved with the Activist Lab this fall.

How do you hope to engage with students this fall?

I hope to engage with students through the Activist Lab’s programming. We have some really exciting things in the works for this semester! I am lucky to work closely with the other members of the Activist Lab—Dean Craig Andrade, Emily Barbo, and Caroline McQuade—to to connect with our students and ensure the Activist Lab events and programs help them develop and explore their personal public health practice.

I also hope to network and coordinate with student organizations on campus. This will ideally include me attending their events, helping promote them, and posting about them on our social media pages.

With some folks still remote this semester, there may be some continuing challenges in creating meaningful connections, but I am looking forward to engaging in whatever way students feel is exciting and helpful to ensure they feel an authentic connection to our work in the Activist Lab.

What do you want students to know about the Activist Lab and your role?

The Activist Lab is much more accessible than our students may think. As a first-generation student myself, I understand how scary it can feel to put yourself out there and get involved, but I want students to know that I am here to help make that leap easier. We are here to meet each student where they are in their public health practice and we love meeting new folks. A great first step is to come say hello!

On Thursday, September 16, we are hosting an Open House event called “Practicing Boldly with Dean Andrade.” There will be a virtual session during the afternoon class break and an in-person reception in our office in the evening. This is a great opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to meet the team and learn about ways to get involved.

How can students get involved with the Activist Lab?

The Activist Lab’s main goal is to help students turn their ideas into practice, and a really cool opportunity we provide for our students to do this is through the Impact Grant program, a micro-grant program that allows students to develop public health projects that can foster tangible change in the community. Dean Andrade is always more than happy to talk about these grants with students during his office hours, which can be found on the school calendar.

We will be hosting an event at Student Orientation on Monday, August 30 called “Practicing your Practice,” which will explore how and why we engage in public health practice. You can get to know the new Activist Lab team and learn more about our vision for public health practice at our upcoming Open House events, virtually and in-person, on Wednesday, September 15. And on Wednesday, September 22, we will be hosting our first Activist Meet and Greet Series event with LGBTQ+ health organizations and advocates. This is an informal networking event to build connections and foster relationships between these organizations and the SPH community. Aside from these opportunities, students can always email me directly at activist@bu.edu, and follow the Activist Lab on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn!

To learn more about the Activist Lab and their vision for the future of public health, click here.