Voice Up: Purpose as an Upstream Psychosocial Determinant of Health
Principal Investigator: Art Fuller, MPH/DHSC (In Progress), MEd
Participants (Nov 2024–Dec 2025)
Verified Program Events
Cities Globally
Psychometric Reliability (α)
A robust body of evidence links a "sense of purpose" to reduced mortality, better stress regulation, and improved psychological well-being. However, the field lacks ecologically valid datasets capable of capturing how purpose is articulated and aligned with talents in real-world, non-clinical populations. Existing research often relies on single-point surveys rather than observing how purpose evolves over time.
Voice Up addresses this gap by establishing a scalable observational platform. Unlike clinical interventions, Voice Up captures "upstream" data—articulations of purpose, motivation, and talent—before diagnosable pathology arises, aligning with prevention science and population health priorities.
Core Theoretical Framework: VUC Theory
Voice → Understanding → Change: A theory of change derived from real-time operational data
Voice
Structured opportunities for individuals to articulate motivations and goals
Understanding
Translating that voice into coherent signals (values, skills, needs)
Change
Observable outcomes, such as sustained engagement and role expansion
Voice Up moves beyond vague "wellness" checks by integrating narrative purpose data with a standardized 14-domain Talent Inventory (n=350 subsample). This allows researchers to examine the alignment between an individual's skills (e.g., Research, Leadership, Design) and their articulated purpose, a critical factor in workforce readiness and burnout prevention.
Implications & Strategic Value
For Higher Education
A scalable, non-clinical engagement model to support student retention and mental well-being without "medicalizing" normative developmental challenges.
For Prevention Science
An infrastructure to study purpose as a modifiable, upstream psychosocial resource relevant to stress buffering and health longevity.
For Workforce Development
Empirical insight into how purpose-talent alignment influences engagement and career trajectories in emerging adults.
Next Steps & Collaboration
The current framework is aligned with NIH R21 standards for exploratory research.
We Are Actively Seeking Partners To:
Contact Information
Art Fuller, MPH/DHSc (Dual Degree, In Progress), MEd
Founder & Principal Investigator, Voice Up Research Initiative
My scientific focus is the study of purpose as an upstream psychosocial determinant of health, using exploratory, mixed-methods, practice-based research designs in non-clinical populations. My work bridges behavioral science, education, and population health, with particular emphasis on how individuals articulate, refine, and align purpose with talents, educational pathways, and emerging career trajectories across developmental and cultural contexts.
I am the founder and principal investigator of Voice Up, an observational research initiative designed to capture purpose-centered narrative and structured data in ecologically valid, non-clinical settings. Over a 13-month period, Voice Up has supported large-scale, voluntary participation across the United States and internationally, generating a diverse dataset suitable for descriptive, longitudinal, and hypothesis-generating analyses. This work directly aligns with NIH priorities in prevention science, population health, and upstream psychosocial determinants of well-being.
I am currently completing a coordinated dual-degree program in Public Health (MPH) and Health Sciences (DHSc), with both degrees awarded concurrently and doctoral completion anticipated in December 2026. My dissertation,Perceptions with Impact, is a qualitative study examining African American college students' perceptions of behavioral health careers, with attention to how lived experience, cultural context, and institutional exposure shape career consideration and workforce pipeline engagement. This work provides advanced training in qualitative methodology, narrative analysis, and ethical engagement with underrepresented populations.
My training is complemented by a Master of Education (MEd) and an undergraduate background inNeuroscience & Behavior. I have served as Principal Investigator on federally funded projects (including awards from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the U.S. Department of Education) and have extensive experience building early-stage research infrastructure, managing federal compliance, and leading interdisciplinary teams.
Key Positions & Experience
Founder & Principal Investigator
Voice Up Research Initiative | 2024–Present
Senior Policy and Research Consultant
State-Level Budget, Education, and Behavioral Health Systems | 2019–Present
Adjunct Faculty / Trainer
Graduate and Professional Education Programs | 2018–Present
Principal Investigator (Federal Awards)
SAMHSA & U.S. Department of Education