Based in Harlem, New York City, and housed at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy, the Center for Systems and Community Design is at the forefront of public health entrepreneurship, integrating research, business, policy, and design.
At the Center, we believe there is a role for every individual, every organization, and every sector to play in health. Through cross-sectoral partnerships and diverse methodologies such as systems science, design thinking, business strategy design and implementation, collaboration science, and social entrepreneurship, the Center seeks to (re)frame health problems, unpack complex issues, create a network of public health entrepreneurs, develop and scale creative solutions that are community-centric, integrate social and environmental impact into standard business practice, and inform policy agendas.
As a think-tank and do-tank, we invite those from any discipline or sector who are passionate about social impact and systems change to reach out and join us as we galvanize a multi-sectoral approach to improving population health and welling.
The Center for Systems and Community Design at CUNY SPH develops and tests innovative strategies to tackle complex problems in public health. Researchers use systems thinking to address different health disparities on the community level.
The center is at the forefront of a NYC policy initiative that led to the redesign and renovation of dozens of neighborhood parks.
Center researchers are evaluating the impact of this initiative on community health.
Supporting Parks and Revitalizing Communities Study (SPARCS)
SPARCS is here to help make your park an even better place for the community to gather and have fun!
A Global Leader in Public Health Entrepreneurship
In 2020, the Center for Systems and Community Design at the City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy launched a unique public health entrepreneurship platform known as Firefly Innovations - the first of its kind in the U.S.
SYSTEMS CHANGE LECTURE SERIES
A lecture series about exploring the relationship between social networks and health. Discover the latest evidence and innovative approaches in this field.
Join us on Tue, Apr 09 2024 at 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM for an exciting event exploring the relationship between social networks and health. Discover the latest evidence and innovative approaches in this field.
Mario L. Small, Ph.D., is Quetelet Professor of Social Science at Columbia University. A University of Bremen Excellence Chair, and an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences, and the Sociological Research Association, Small has published award-winning articles and books on urban inequality, personal networks, and the relationship between qualitative and quantitative methods.
PAST EVENTS
The Center’s projects promote health and mobilize government, private, and third-sector organizations to test new approaches that prevent disease on a community level.
Physical Activity and Redesigned Community Space (PARCS) Study
The PARCS Study is a first-of-its-kind, multi-year project working with community residents across all five boroughs to better understand the relationship between community environment and health.
Our team
"By leveraging theories and methods from diverse disciplines, our team fosters and conducts collaborative and trans-disciplinary research through the lens of systems science and design thinking."
Job Opportunities
From fieldwork placements to internships to job opportunities, reach out to learn how the CSCD is right for you.
