Unlock public health

CIPHER is dedicated to improving the health of New York’s citizens through public health literacy and the support of community-based organizations.

The Citizens’ Public Health Literacy (CIPHER) group strives to improve the health literacy of individuals through partnerships with community-based organizations. Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health (MSPH) graduate students and faculty, equipped with critical feedback from community partners, aim to leverage their resources by developing public health curricula designed to address gaps in knowledge and empower individuals.

Who We Are

We are a student-run organization, advised by professors in Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health’s Department of Sociomedical Sciences. Students specialize in epidemiology, environmental health sciences, sociomedical sciences, health policy and management, biostatistics, and population and family health. Equipped with the support of expert faculty, who have deep connections to community-based organizations, we strive to serve New York City’s public health education needs.

Partner With Us

Collaboration and community building is at the heart of everything we do. We partner with community-based organizations, community members, and non-profits to share public health knowledge and resources.

Learn With Us

Jump start your public health journey with CIPHER! There’s no better place to start than our Public Health and You course. Try our free, interactive, 10-lesson course!

Check out the Climate Club Practice course to learn more about environmental health and climate change. These interactive lessons are made possible through CIPHER’s partnership with The Climate Club!

Support Our Efforts

Our curriculum and outreach efforts are fueled entirely by student volunteers and faculty. Donate to our cause, volunteer with our teams, propose new projects - become a part of our growing network!

Follow our journey

Contact Us


Have questions about the work we do? Represent a community-based organization? Interested in volunteering with us? Comment, suggestions or concerns with our curriculum? Email us or fill out our contact form!

Email
askCIPHER@decipherpubhealth.org