1. Empowers students to be scientifically literate participants in the democratic decision-making process concerning public health policy.
2. Empowers students to make more informed personal health-related decisions.
3. Increases students' media literacy and their understanding of public health messages.
4. Increases students' understanding of the basis for determining risk.
5. Improves students' mathematical and scientific literacy.
6. Expands students' understanding of scientific methods and develops critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
7. Provides students with another mechanism for exploring important, real world questions about their health and the health of others.
8. Introduces students to an array of career paths related to the public's health.