We are a group of students at UC Berkeley from a diverse range of academic and personal backgrounds. However, we are united in our passion for science and in our belief that science literacy can help promote healthy behaviors in our community and in communities around the world. Our organization is currently working on two main projects. We produce educational materials and water sanitation packag
es that serve the dual purpose of advancing science education and public health in rural Peru. Our educational materials combine practical information about proper water sanitation with basic science principles. These materials are combined with water sanitation packages in order to maximally influence household decision-making in favor of proper sanitation.
Our organization is also committed to improving science literacy and health behavior in our local community. We send students and medical researchers to retirement homes and senior centers throughout the San Francisco Bay Area to give talks about brain science, the science underlying Alzheimer's disease, and current Alzheimer's disease research. We also produce Spanish-language educational materials that combine scientific and practical information about diabetes for local free clinics. Throughout the world, health education initiatives have faced barriers to household implementation of positive health practices. A great deal of public health research has dealt with developing more effective ways of communicating crucial health information to at-risk communities. Many studies have specifically looked at the factors that influence behavioral change for health-related decisions. These findings have allowed public health officials to develop improved health communication strategies in the communities that they serve. Our club believes that improving science literacy can make individuals more receptive to health information and contribute to producing positive behavioral change.
