Collaborate on the unexplored frontiers of knowledge to seek the truth and make the world a better place.
Alex Rodriguez
Ph.D. student
In 2021, I received grant funding to execute an interdisciplinary health communication project aimed at promoting vaccine confidence among students at the University of Florida. The project, “Work COVID Silly, Gators: A multi-mural, interdisciplinary project to increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence among students at the University of Florida,” used curated mural installations on campus to promote dialogue, change norms of perceived social and to increase the number of students who intend to be vaccinated or are vaccinated for COVID-19.
During the spring semester installation period, the sites also acted as COVID-19 vaccination and education sites. In addition to my role as project manager, the team also included mural curator Jenna Horner, muralists Cristi Lopez, Brittany Webber, Amy Lindroth, and UF physician Dr. Ashleigh Wright. The two murals were built during the spring 2022 semester and had QR codes to guide students to a study evaluating the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a link to find local sites. of vaccination. Further, murals, surveys and focus groups were all curated with the Theory of Planned Behavior at the forefront to ensure the efficacy of this project.
My work through the Center for the Arts in Medicine’s Interdisciplinary Laboratory is what inspired me to develop this project. In the summer of 2021, I had the opportunity to support the work of Dr. Jill Sonke on several CDC field guides, all focused on, “How to engage the arts to build confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine.” Along with helping field guides, I was able to see the impact of the collaboration between the CDC and LivingWalls ATL to promote confidence in the COVID-19 vaccine. Both together acted as the main inspiration in my design for this project. In addition to that initial inspiration, considering the mural work in Downtown Gainesville by Walls 352 also acted as a highlight for me as I realized that murals have already acted as a successful way to engage the Gainesville community.
What really excites me about this project is its emphasis on discovery and innovation. With an Arts in Public Health interdisciplinary focus, the project brings new perspectives as it expands knowledge of health communication. Further, creative risk-taking provided an opportunity to engage students in a relevant topic in a way that would sustain interest and facilitate conversation.
