UROP Project

HealthMpowerment Media Lab: Turning Health Information Into Digital Experiences

Health communication, global health, creative storytelling, digital platform, youth empowerment

Research Mentor: Ms. Aimee Rochelle, She/her/hers
Department, College, Affiliation: IDHI, Nursing
Contact Email: arochelle@fsu.edu
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from mentor): Ms. Aijha Phillips She/her/hers
Research Assistant Supervisor Email: aphillips5@fsu.edu
Faculty Collaborators:
Faculty Collaborators Email:

Looking for Research Assistants: Yes
Number of Research Assistants: 2
Relevant Majors: Public Health, Nursing, Communications, Multimedia Journalism, Digital Media or Media Studies, Film, Video Production, Marketing, UX Design, Writing or Human Centered Design, Creative Writing
Project Location: Remote
Research Assistant Transportation Required: No, the project is remote
Remote or In-person: Fully Remote
Approximate Weekly Hours: 5-10, During business hours
Roundtable Times and Zoom Link:
Not participating in the roundtable

Project Description

In this project, students will creatively transform text-based health content in a mobile health research app into videos, audio, visuals, stories, and interactive activities to be used by real study participants.

The Institute on Digital Health and Innovation at the College of Nursing was established in 2022 to advance individual and public health through collaborative and synergistic partnerships focused on the development, evaluation, and dissemination of digital health tools, technologies, and innovations. HealthMpowerment (HMP) is a mobile health research platform created by Lisa Hightow-Weidman (Director of the Institute) that provides health and wellness information, resources and tools through a smartphone app. The platform is adapted for different populations and health issues around the globe, with content on topics such as physical and mental health, relationships, identity, sexual health, stress, nutrition, education, careers, advocacy, and other life skills.

This project is open to undergraduate or graduate students who are interested in both public health and creative media. The students will help adapt existing HealthMpowerment text-based content into new formats such as short videos, audio clips or podcast‑style pieces, visual explainers, or interactive activities. They may also help develop new content ideas as part of this work. The focus is not on marketing or promotion, but on improving how health information is experienced and understood within the app, making it clearer, more engaging, and easier for users to interact with in meaningful ways.

Some weeks will lean more heavily on creative work like drafting scripts, outlining a video concept, or reworking how a topic is presented across different formats. Other weeks will include more routine but necessary tasks such as formatting content, uploading it into the app’s content management system, and doing quality checks to make sure everything is clear, appropriate, and ready for users.

UROP students mentored by IDHI faculty and staff during the 2026-2027 academic year will participate in an institute-wide cohort and have opportunities to contribute to supplemental projects aligned with their interests. Cohort members will attend a weekly virtual lab meeting via Zoom on Fridays at 1:00 PM focused on professional development and collaborative opportunities across the institute. While the meeting time may offer some flexibility, preference will be given to applicants who can regularly attend a weekly Friday meeting at 1:00 p.m.


Research Tasks: • Review existing HealthMpowerment content including articles, activities, and discussion prompts to understand the platform and audience
• Help identify content that could be strengthened or refreshed through new formats such as video, audio, visual explainers, or interactive activities
• Adapt existing written content into new, more engaging formats while maintaining accuracy and appropriate tone
• Brainstorm and propose new content ideas that align with public health goals and user needs
• Draft scripts, outlines, storyboards, or activity concepts for new or adapted content
• Tailor content for different age groups such as youth, adults, and older populations by adjusting tone, format, and pacing
• Assist with basic content production tasks as appropriate, such as recording audio, editing short videos, or creating simple visuals
• Upload, format, and organize content within the HealthMpowerment platform’s content management system
• Conduct quality checks to ensure content is clear, accessible, and ready for users
• Collaborate with the HealthMpowerment team through regular check ins and feedback cycles
• Balance creative work with routine but important operational tasks required to keep the platform updated
• On camera appearance is not required. The focus is on scripting, editing, and production using voice over, visuals, animation, or AI generated assets
• Students may use tools they already know. Licenses for advanced software can be provided if needed


Skills that research assistant(s) may need: This is a good fit for a student who likes creative work but is also comfortable with detail‑oriented follow‑through. The student should be curious about how health information is communicated through digital tools and apps, who enjoys thinking in new and creative ways about how content can be presented, and who is motivated by the opportunity to create content that is used by real people outside of a classroom setting.

Required skills
(Not all skills need to be fully developed at the start)
• Interest in public health, health communication, digital media, or related topics
• Strong written communication skills and comfort rewriting or adapting content
• Ability to think creatively about how information can be presented in different formats
• Some prior experience with video, audio, or multimedia creation
• Familiarity with tools like Canva, simple video editors, audio recording tools, or similar software
• Comfortable with basic video and audio editing and adding captions or subtitles using tools such as iMovie, Clipchamp, CapCut, Canva, Audacity, GarageBand, Descript, or similar
• Comfort working independently and managing small tasks with guidance
• Attention to detail, especially when formatting or uploading content
• Willingness to do both creative and routine work as part of a real product workflow
• Basic organizational skills and reliability with weekly time commitments
• Openness to feedback and iteration on content

Recommended or nice-to-have skills
• Interest in writing scripts, storytelling, or narrative based content
• Awareness of how content needs differ for youth versus adult audiences
• Experience using or thinking critically about apps, social media, or digital products
• Basic understanding of accessibility, inclusive language, or human-centered design
• Experience balancing creative thinking with structured or detail oriented tasks