As a community health intern at the Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL), Fiona found herself stepping far outside her comfort zone—and into the world of robots and 3D printing. “I was not specifically interested in computer science before interning with CCIL,” she admitted. “If you had told me at the beginning of the semester I would be doing 3D printing for a coding activity I designed, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.”
Fiona chose the CCIL because of its focus on health outreach and interdisciplinary learning. “I love working with kids and was very excited about the chance to create outreach activities for them and apply my knowledge of primary prevention to help teach about healthy habits,” she said. While browsing a database of brainstormed activities maintained by Educational Programs Manager Stephanie Dietrich, Fiona was intrigued by an Ozobot activity idea—despite having little experience with coding or robotics. “I thought it would be a good way to challenge myself and learn more about these subjects. I also know that kids love hands-on and interactive activities like this one.”
She learned how to program the Ozobot using color-coded paths and designed her own maps that guided the robot through healthy lifestyle decisions like staying active, eating vegetables, and wearing sunscreen. For older students, she created an expanded game version that incorporated 3D printed accessories she printed at the Fab Lab on campus to bring the lesson to life. “The support I received from Stephanie, Prof. Pool, and my fellow interns were key to the success of this project. Their feedback, ideas, and kind words allowed me to continue developing the lesson and push myself to make it the best I possibly could.”
Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) outreach intern Fiona O’Brien studies community health.
“Health literacy is very important for the K–5 age group,” Fiona said. “By empowering our youth to make evidence-based decisions surrounding things such as their diet and activity levels, we can help reduce their risk of developing chronic diseases, like cancer, later in life.”
Thanks to Fiona’s creativity and persistence, the activity is now part of CCIL’s expanding K–12 outreach curriculum, inspiring students across east central Illinois to explore STEM and healthy living in a fun, hands-on way.
Looking ahead, Fiona sees her time with CCIL as more than just a semester-long experience—it’s helped shape her career path. “This internship confirmed that I really enjoy community health outreach and would like to specifically focus on pediatrics. I hope to transfer what I’ve learned to a role in a hospital or clinic setting, where I can create outreach projects that improve health outcomes and lower chronic disease rates in my community.
This story was written by Stephanie Dietrich, CCIL Educational Programs Manager