This summer I worked at New America in their Health Policy and Innovations Lab. New America is a think tank organization that brings new voices and ideas to policy to ultimately drive technological and social change. As a health policy intern, my work primarily focused on addressing communication challenges and leveraging various mediums to improve public health information pertaining to COVID-19. I helped create a resource hub on the #BeatTheVirus website campaign and expand a social media toolkit with trusted and actionable messages. In partnership with the Task Force for Global Health, I helped jumpstart a pilot for the Public Health Understanding, Listening, and Sensemaking Engine (PULSE) Project by tracking social media hashtags pertaining to mask wearing in the Atlanta metro area.

Through this virtual internship I gained valuable insight into assessing public health communication, especially during a pandemic when misinformation is prone to spread. I enjoyed working with New America and many stakeholders that bring technology, scientific expertise, and analytic solutions to public health modernization.