SPARK Projects

Spartan Partnership, Action, Research, and Knowledge (SPARK) Projects Showcase

This page highlights research and applied projects completed by Michigan State University College of Human Medicine MPH and medical students in partnership with community organizations, faculty mentors, and public health leaders. These projects reflect a shared commitment to addressing real-world health challenges in Flint, Genesee County, and beyond through data-driven inquiry, collaboration, service, and community-engaged learning.

Students contribute to a wide range of work, from analyzing public health data and evaluating programs to supporting community-based research and developing accessible resources. Through these experiences, students build critical research, public health, and clinical skills while engaging directly with the communities they serve and centering local priorities, lived experiences, and health equity in their work.

Explore Completed Projects

Check out the Student Research Showcase to explore completed student projects, learn about community and faculty collaborations, and see how students are applying their training to support meaningful change in public health and medicine. The showcase includes projects across a range of topics, methods, and communities. Use the filters to search by program, project type, medical speciality, and topic area.

For Students

Are you an MSU College of Human Medicine MPH or medical student interested in conducting a research or applied public health project? Explore available opportunities through the Community Research Opportunities Hub or the Secondary Data Research Portal. These tools can help you identify projects that align with your interests in public health, medicine, health equity, data analysis, evaluation, community engagement, or research.

For Students Who Have Completed a Project

Have you already completed a research, evaluation, public health, or community-engaged project? Please consider sharing your project with us by filling out the Completed Research Project Form. We would love to feature your work in the Student Research Showcase! Sharing your project helps recognize your contributions, highlight your partners and mentors, and inspire other students to get involved in community-driven research and applied public health work.

For Community Partners

Are you a community organization with a research, evaluation, data, or health initiative that could benefit from student support? SPARK helps connect community partners with students who are interested in contributing to meaningful, community-driven projects. Submit your project idea through the Community Research Opportunities Form to be considered for inclusion in the Community Research Opportunities Hub.

Building a Community of Learning and Action

SPARK Projects demonstrate what is possible when students, faculty, public health leaders, and community organizations work together. Each project contributes to a growing network of applied learning, local knowledge, and action-oriented research designed to support healthier and more equitable communities.