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AIHA NEWS AND NOTES ​​

“Dr. Nicas is well known for his keen intellect and sense of humor, both of which he brought to JOEH during his service as editor in chief,” said Rachael Jones, president of the Board of Directors of the JOEH, LLC. “The Board of Directors and I appreciate his hard work to ensure the success of JOEH, and wish him joy in his next endeavors.”

For the past two months, Nicas has been working with incoming editor in chief T. Renee Anthony to ensure a smooth transition of JOEH operations. In January, Nicas will rejoin the JOEH editorial board. He previously served as an editorial board member from the journal’s founding in 2004 to 2010.

Nicas has authored more than 60 research articles and ten book chapters on occupational and environmental health and is a recognized expert on the mathematical modeling of exposure to indoor air pollutants. At Berkeley, he taught graduate classes on exposure assessment and conducted research on human exposure and risk assessment for chemical toxicants and pathogens, including candidate microbes for bioterrorism. In 2001, he received AIHA’s Edward J. Baier Technical Achievement Award for outstanding work in several areas of industrial hygiene, including respiratory protection and air sampling models.

A diplomate of the American Board of Industrial Hygiene and an AIHA Fellow, Nicas has more than 40 years’ experience in environmental and occupational health in government, industry, labor, and academia. In 2009, he served on the Institute of Medicine Committee on Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Workers in the Workplace Against Novel H1N1 Influenza A. He is currently a member of the NIOSH Board of Scientific Counselors.

Nicas holds a BS in Biology/Chemistry from City College of New York; an MS in genetics from the University of Wisconsin; and a PhD and MPH in Environmental Health Sciences from University of California-Berkeley. The AIHA Continuing Education Committee (CEC) met this October to review more than 75 professional development course proposals for presentation at AIHce EXP 2018. Each proposal undergoes a rigorous and competitive bi-level review by the CEC and experts from AIHA volunteer groups. This review helps guarantee that quality courses are presented to ensure an excellent educational experience.

Seventy proposals were selected for presentation at AIHce EXP 2018 in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, May 19; Sunday, May 20; and Thursday, May 24. With benefits and value-added items ranging from hands-on demonstrations and workshops to e-handouts, essential publications, and software, the 2018 PDCs will provide practical skills and tools that attendees can apply immediately. In addition, PDC attendees earn extra certification maintenance points and network with experts.

Full PDC descriptions will be available on the AIHce EXP 2018 . This year, published a series on mathematical modeling in exposure assessment that includes articles written by Chris Keil, PhD, CIH; Paul Hewett, PhD, CIH; and Tom Armstrong, PhD, CIH. Keil’s article, “Patterns of Exposure,” was published in January 2017 and discusses the power and utility of mathematical models. “Easy Modeling” by Hewett was published in April and examines forecasting occupational exposures using “well mixed room” models. Armstrong authored “Downstream Modeling,” which describes considerations for the exposure assessment of consumer products and was published in September.

Armstrong’s article discusses a topic that is of particular interest to the Product Exposure Assessment Modeling Team, which formed in 2016 from the product stewardship and exposure assessment practitioner ranks of the respective AIHA committees. Current members of the team include AIHA members Ann Lori, CIH, CSP; Josie Walton, CIH; Mike Finnamore, CIH, CSP, CHMM; Jon Hellerstein, CIH, CSP; and John Lowe. The Product Exposure Assessment Modeling Team is working to advance the conventional occupational health modeling tools developed by the Exposure Assessment Strategies Committee and seeks others who are interested in joining their efforts.

To date, the team has examined approximately 60 sources for consumer product classes and related efforts at modeling exposures. The team has also documented its evaluations in order to promote an inventory tool that would guide practitioners to specific source information appropriate to their product class (for example, consumer products in do-it-yourself applications in the home, personal hygiene applications, and others). Having recently concluded its evaluations, the team is working to communicate the results in the peer-reviewed literature within and beyond the industrial hygiene community. Upcoming plans include tool development that could form the foundation of a user group based within the community of practice.

Individuals interested in joining these efforts should to learn more about the process and the team’s progress so far. The AIHA Finance Committee is a standing committee that works with AIHA’s Board of Directors, chief executive officer, and managing director of finance to monitor the finances of the association. There is currently one opening on the Finance Committee that the Board must fill for a three-year term beginning May 2018.

If you are interested in serving on the Finance Committee, please review the roles and responsibilities () and submit your application by Jan. 31, 2018. The application is available for download as a . Once your application is received, you will be contacted to set up an appointment for a 30-minute phone interview with a member of the AIHA Board.

Please or call (703) 846-0721 with any questions.

AIHA requests nominations for the 2018 Fellow awards. Being selected as an AIHA Fellow is a top honor; the designation is limited to no more than five percent of the membership. Each AIHA Local Section, Volunteer Group, Special Interest Group, or other formal AIHA entity may nominate one individual. At-large nominations will also be accepted, with the exception that individuals may not self-nominate.

Nominations are due by Dec. 31. Online nomination forms are available on AIHA's . Please . The AIHA office will close for the holidays beginning Monday, Dec. 25, 2017, through Monday, Jan. 1, 2018, reopening on Tuesday, Jan. 2. Online resources, including the marketplace and Member Center, will remain available. Any orders placed between Dec. 25 and Jan. 1 will be fulfilled when the AIHA office reopens on Jan. 2.

Members will continue to receive AIHA’s two weekly e-newsletters, and .

Our staff wishes you a safe and enjoyable holiday season! The print version of the 2018 AIHA Buyer’s Guide—your source for IH- and OEHS-related services and products—was mailed with the November issue of . If you have not received your copy, please contact AIHA customer service at (703) 849-8888 or via . View the online version on AIHA's . Deadline to submit 2018 AIHA Fellows . Deadline to submit AIHF for 2018–2019.

Deadline to submit applications for the AIHA Finance Committee. in Philadelphia, Pa. 11th International Occupational Hygiene Association () International Scientific Conference in Washington, D.C. For a complete list of events, visit AIHA's .