Vol. II
Est. 2026
Exposure A National Magazine of Public Health Commentary
Volume II

We are looking for writers who have something to say.

A Call for Submissions · October 2026

Exposure is a student-run magazine devoted entirely to public health commentary. We publish evidence-based analysis and opinion for readers outside the academy: people who care about what the research means and what should change because of it. Our second issue opens to writers from any institution. If you have been sitting on an argument that the field is not making loudly enough, this is the place for it.

Key Dates · Issue II
Oct 1 Submissions open
Oct 31 Submissions close
November Review & revisions
December Issue II publishes
01

What We Publish

We accept two types of writing. Both must be grounded in public health and must take a clear position.

i.
Commentary Evidence-based argument on a public health question, policy, or system failure. You have read the literature. You have an opinion about what it means. You are willing to say it plainly and defend it.
ii.
Personal Essay A first-person piece in which lived experience opens onto a larger public health question. The personal detail is not the point. The argument it makes possible is.
02

What We Look For

Every piece we accept does four things. It makes a specific argument, not a survey of a topic. It treats the reader as intelligent and curious, not as a student to be taught. It uses evidence in service of a point rather than as a substitute for one. And it is written in prose that a non-specialist could read without a glossary.

Issue I covered childhood trauma and Black health outcomes, language barriers in New York City hospitals, immigrant health disparities, task-shifting ethics in global health, male involvement in maternal health, digital health infrastructure failure, and AI governance in clinical settings. We are not trying to repeat those pieces. We are interested in the arguments nobody is making yet.

03

What We Do Not Publish

· Literature reviews or research summaries without an original argument
· Pieces that are primarily about the author's academic or professional work
· Topics with only a tangential connection to public health
· Previously published work, including preprints and blog posts
· Work generated by AI
04

Submission Specifications

Who can submit Students at any accredited institution
Word count 800 – 2,500 words
Format Google Doc, editor access
References Where applicable, no required style
Simultaneous submissions Not accepted
Response time By November 15, 2026
05

The Process

i.
Acknowledgment

You will receive a confirmation within 48 hours of submitting. This confirms we have your piece, not that it has been accepted.

ii.
Editorial Review

The editorial board reads every submission. We evaluate on argument, evidence, and prose quality. We do not evaluate on topic alone.

iii.
Decision

All writers receive a decision by November 15. Accepted writers receive editorial notes and a revision timeline. We do not provide detailed feedback on declined submissions.

iv.
Revision and Publication

Accepted pieces go through one or two rounds of editing with the author. Final pieces are DOI-minted through NYU Libraries and published open access on NYU Manifold.

Read Issue I before you submit. It will tell you more about what we are than this page can.

Submissions open October 1, 2026