COMMUNITY
AIHA NEWS AND NOTES ​​
AIHA to Hold Special Ballot for Bylaws Amendments
In July, AIHA will invite members to vote on proposed changes to the association’s bylaws. As this issue of
The Synergist
went to press, the proposed changes were expected to redefine categories of membership and introduce a new procedure for nominating the officers of AIHA’s Board of Directors. The ballot will be conducted electronically through the Votenet system, which is the same system AIHA uses for its annual election. To take effect, bylaws amendments must be approved by two-thirds of AIHA’s voting members. The Board has developed an FAQ document about the proposed amendments. The FAQ is available on the AIHA
website
. AIHA President Deborah Imel Nelson discussed the proposed changes to membership categories in the
January
Synergist. The
president’s message
in this issue discusses the nominations process.
AIHA to Honor New Award Recipients
AIHA recently announced the recipients of the 2018 AIHA awards, which honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the industrial hygiene and occupational and environmental health and safety professions. The recipients will be recognized during the Mark of Excellence Awards Breakfast at AIHce EXP. This year’s award recipients are:
  • Edward J. Baier Technical Achievement Award: Shawn G. Gibbs, PhD, MBA, CIH; Elizabeth L. Beam, PhD, RN; Aurora B. Le, MPH, CPH; Jocelyn Herstein, MPH; Katelyn Jelden, MPH; and John-Martin J. Lowe, PhD
  • Donald E. Cummings Memorial Award: Mark Stenzel, PhD, CIH 
  • Kusnetz Award: Srinivas Durgam, PhD, CIH
  • Alice Hamilton Award: Margaret Quinn, ScD, CIH
  • Distinguished Service Award: Allan K. Fleeger, PhD, CIH, CSP
  • Social Responsibility Award: Renae Goldman, CIH, FAIHA
  • Henry J. Smyth Jr. Award: Cheryl L. Marcham, PhD, CIH, CSP, CHMM, FAIHA
  • Yant Award: Andrea Sass-Kortsak, PhD, CIH, FAIHA
Read more in AIHA’s
press release
.
“Core Competencies” Document Updated
A diverse team of AIHA members recently updated the association’s
Core Competencies for the Practice of Industrial/Occupational Hygiene
document, which outlines the essential knowledge, skills, and abilities that an IH/OH working at different levels of practice should possess. The revised
Core Competencies
document will debut in May at AIHce EXP 2018. The document, which was originally published in 2012, provides guidance for those working at the IH technician, IH practitioner, and IH professional levels. The new version of the document describes additional technical competencies, including emerging issues, fatigue management, and indoor air quality, as well as functional competencies such as “soft skills” that will contribute to the success of the industrial hygienist. The core competencies are in line with the knowledge areas and career levels described in AIHA’s IH Professional Pathway program, which aligns association resources and development opportunities with the various career levels of the profession. The
Core Competencies
document is applicable to several audiences, including students, who can use it to gain an understanding of industrial hygiene and prepare for a career in IH/OH. Academic programs can use the document to design, review, and update curricula. Employers can use AIHA’s core competencies to create career paths by setting expectations for knowledge and skill development for individuals assigned to IH/OH positions within their respective organizations.  Individual practitioners at all stages of their careers will be able to use the revised document as a guide to further their own professional and career development. Join the core competencies team at the Hub at AIHce EXP in Philadelphia, Pa., on Wednesday, May 23, from 10:30 to 10:55 a.m. ET to learn more.
AIHA Accolades
Congratulations to AIHA members
Mark D. Hoover
, PhD, CHP, CIH;
Carl E. Johnson
, CIH, CSP; and
Robert F. Herrick
, ScD, CIH, who recently received awards from ACGIH and will be honored at AIHce EXP 2018 in Philadelphia. Hoover received the Herbert E. Stokinger Award for his significant contribution in the broad field of industrial and environmental toxicology. Johnson received the John J. Bloomfield Award, which is presented to a young industrial hygienist who pursues the problem of occupational health hazards primarily by doing fieldwork. Herrick received the Meritorious Achievement Award in recognition of his outstanding, long-term contribution to the progress of occupational health and environmental hygiene. AIHA’s Environmental Issues Committee announced that
Dr. Gerald Markowitz
and
Dr. David Rosner
are the co-recipients of the 2018 Rachel Carson Award. Markowitz and Rosner are being recognized for their outstanding contributions in advancing the public’s awareness of environmental safety and health issues. The Rachel Carson Award is presented annually to individuals who have achieved outstanding success and distinction in their EHS business, profession, or life’s work.
AIHA local sections in the southern region of the U.S.
won the 2017 #IAmIH Leadership Challenge, which was designed to help members promote the industrial hygiene profession within their communities. Passionate IH South professionals from the Tennessee Valley Local Section and others educated thousands of students about industrial hygiene and provided information about careers in IH. Learn more about the challenge on the AIHA
website
, and visit AIHA’s
Outreach Resource Center
to find materials to help create a customized outreach program for any age group.
Dates and Deadlines
May 21–23
AIHce EXP 2018
in Philadelphia, Pa.
June 21
AIHA webinar: “
Evaluating Effectiveness of a Contractor Management Program: A Case Study
.”
September 10–12
5th International Conference on Occupational and Environmental Health in Hanoi, Vietnam. 
September 17–20
AIHA’s “
Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene
” course in Westerville, Ohio.
September 21–23
Future Leaders Institute
in Washington, D.C.
September 24–26
11th International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA)
International Scientific Conference
in Washington, D.C. For a complete list of events, visit the AIHA
website
.