Welcome to MiUmbrella
A collaborative effort between University of Michigan's School of Public Health, School of Information and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services
Get to Know Us
MiUmbrella (MIUM) is the umbrella term for several collaborative efforts between University of Michigan’s Schools of Information and Public Health and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services designed to improve data-driven responses to disease outbreaks. Led by Dr. Marisa Eisenberg, MiUmbrella is dedicated to using state of the art technology to provide clear, precise and engaging visualizations that can help community organizations and public and private health officials in identifying key trends related to disease outbreaks and vaccination uptake rates.
Our Projects
MiLighthouse (v1)
MiLighthouse was a rapid response to the Covid-19 pandemic to assist private and public health officials. Originally created as a private dashboard that supported public health efforts by providing authorized local and state officials with vaccine data visualizations to track Covid-19 vaccine uptake, assist in outbreak investigation and resource allocation decisions. Dividing the map into the 82 Michigan counties, this tool helped officials respond rapidly to declining vaccination rates through tracking micro-level patterns of vaccine uptake, as well as track age, race, gender and location metrics to identify disparities in COVID-19 impact and vaccination rates.
MILighthouse (v2)
Based on popular demand, MiLighthouse was eventually opened out to community organizations who were also working towards educating their communities and advocating for vaccine uptake. Noting this demand for this tool as well as access to more information, MiLighthouse’s second iteration is focused on tracking additional vaccine uptake rates for diseases that occur seasonally such as influenza or diseases with long-term impacts such as MMR as well as opening out the dashboard to other key stakeholders such as school administrators.
DearEpi: Blogs for Epidemiologists
Designed as a community platform to unite epidemiologists and public health practitioners, DearEpi offers a comprehensive blend of news, practical advice and shared experiences from professionals across Michigan and the United States. Created for both veterans and newcomers alike, our blog is designed to promote and facilitate active dialogue within the epidemiology community. Whether you're looking for the latest in research developments or everyday problem-solving strategies, our blog serves as a reliable source of knowledge and collaborative discourse.From eminent thought leaders to novices, we facilitate a vibrant dialogue full of learnings, experience-sharing, and guidance. Brimming with utilitarian tips, up-to-date news, and practical advice from seasoned professionals, our blog presents a peerless platform for growth within the epi-community.
MiSafe Start Map
Developed in collaboration between the University of Michigan’s Schools of Public Health and Information and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, MiSafe Start Map was designed to visualize Covid-19 risks and trends across Michigan to provide residents with vital information about the spread of the pandemic in locations around them. Using risk levels inspired by the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC) as well as other national organizations dedicated to public health, the dashboard used a combination of graphs, numbers and trends to represent publically available case data, death tolls and test data to show the extent of the virus’ spread in the community and whether it is increasing or decreasing.
The dashboard played a key role in helping Governor Whitner’s cabinet implement the MiSafe Start Plan to revitalize and re-engage Michigan’s economy by identifying high-risk areas and trends that could then be tackled using both public health and community organization efforts.
MIHarbor: Modernizing Data Pipelines
MiHarbor is an advanced Python-based solution designed to streamline and enhance interactions with MCIR, Michigan’s online immunization registry database. This software harnesses state-of-the-art algorithms to not only enhance readability, but also to expedite data processing. Moreover, it stands out for its unique interoperability feature, allowing seamless integration across diverse digital health ecosystems.
Help Us Make Michigan Safer
If you're passionate about public policy and healthcare, we would love to hear from you! Connect with us to give us feedback on how we can improve our systems and other features you're interested in seeing! We're also always hiring, so send us an email with your resume and why you're interested and we'll be happy to connect!