AIHce EXP to Return as In-Person Event This Year Following two virtual conferences held in 2020 and 2021, AIHce EXP will return as an in-person event held in Nashville, Tennessee, May 23–25, 2022. Registration is now open for AIHce EXP 2022, which will feature high-quality, peer-reviewed presentations; networking opportunities; and an extensive exhibit hall. The conference will also have a virtual component for participants who cannot attend the on-site events.

At AIHce EXP 2022, the safety of participants, exhibitors, staff, and supplier partners will be paramount. AIHA is working closely with the Music City Center, contracted hotels, the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation, its supplier partners, and representatives from Nashville and the state of Tennessee to ensure compliance with all local, state, and national safety guidelines and regulations.

“We are excited to return to live, in-person events,” said Bethany Chirico, AIHA's managing director of global meetings and business development. “Because we want AIHce EXP participants to have peace of mind while learning and networking with their colleagues and peers, we are implementing enhanced measures to meet the health and safety challenges presented by COVID-19.”

Information about AIHA’s policies related to COVID-19 health and safety can be found on the conference website.

For those unable to travel to Nashville in person, the 2022 virtual program will include education sessions, professional development courses, pre-recorded health and wellness events, pop-up sessions, and learning pavilion events. It will also feature an exhibitor directory and networking opportunities intended to make the virtual conference experience closely mirror the on-site event. Virtual attendees will benefit from an engaging learning environment and will be able to interact with presenters and other participants through the virtual platform’s poll feature and online discussion functions.

The opening keynote speaker at this year’s conference will be Capt. Chris Cassidy. Throughout his career as a Navy SEAL and NASA astronaut, Cassidy has handled risks at every turn and challenging environments that tested his decision-making abilities. In his AIHce EXP talk, “Keys to Assessing Risk: Knowing When to Push or Pivot,” Cassidy will discuss his experiences in crisis management, share his guidance for assessing and managing risk, and offer his conclusions for making effective decisions.

Visit the conference website to learn more about or register for AIHce EXP 2022.

CEC Accepting Membership Applications AIHA is now accepting applications for positions on the Continuing Education Committee. The CEC comprises 12 members who serve four single-year terms. The CEC’s mission is to ensure quality educational opportunities that broaden knowledge, enhance technical competencies, and furnish industrial hygienists with practical tools and skills. The CEC provides one of the levels of technical peer review of AIHA’s professional development courses, or PDCs. CEC members are also asked to audit new educational offerings, which provides an opportunity for them to earn CM hours at no cost.

Selection of new CEC members will be completed in the spring, and terms will begin with AIHce EXP 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Applications are due by March 16. Prospective volunteers are asked to submit a current resume or CV and fill out an application listing their experience, knowledge, and primary areas of interest. The application is available on AIHA’s website. For more information, email Erin Breece, CEC staff liaison, or visit the committee webpage.

AIHce EXP Sponsorship Applications Due March 11 AIHA is committed to inspiring the next generation of students and early career professionals to become industrial hygienists and will sponsor up to five individuals to attend AIHce EXP 2022 either virtually or in person. A sponsorship includes registration to AIHce EXP 2022, round-trip coach airfare, and three nights' accommodation at a pre-selected conference hotel.

Applicants must be AIHA student or early career professional members in good standing through June 1, 2022. Applicants must submit a short video or a written statement of interest addressing their motivation for attending the conference or ways in which attending AIHce EXP would benefit their career goals. Applications must also include two letters of recommendation, which can come from a current professor, an AIHA member, or an employer.

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on March 11. Apply online via SurveyMonkey.

2022 Road Courses Announced AIHA road courses offer quality training in a small group setting near Columbus, Ohio, and online. New dates for three road courses are now available.

Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene will be held three times in 2022: in person in Westerville, Ohio, March 21–24 and Sept. 26–29, and online July 11–15. This course is designed for those who are new to industrial hygiene or who have newly acquired IH responsibilities. Topic areas of focus include biological monitoring, hazard recognition, air sampling, ventilation and indoor air quality, personal protective clothing, ergonomics, and noise.

Exposure and Chemical Monitoring - Beyond IH Fundamentals, an intermediate three-day course, will be held Oct. 3–5 in Westerville. This course is designed to provide additional training and knowledge in IH chemical monitoring through group exercises and discussion. Attendees will learn how to apply the concept of similar exposure groups (SEGs), conduct a qualitative exposure assessment for a SEG, and properly calibrate exposure monitoring equipment.

Equipment Laboratory - Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene, an exclusive hands-on lab for past attendees of AIHA’s virtual Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene course, will be held in person in Westerville, Ohio, Aug. 4–5. Individuals who attend this course will learn to select appropriate air sampling methods for airborne contaminants through sampling and workshop sessions, hands-on lab experiences, small group work, and problem-solving exercises.

More information is available on AIHA's website.

Get Involved with the Conference Program Committee AIHA seeks applicants for membership in the Conference Program Committee (CPC), which is responsible for reviewing and selecting education sessions for AIHce EXP. The CPC’s goals include developing an innovative program for AIHce EXP that meets the educational needs of the profession and long-range planning for continuous improvement of the technical quality of the annual conference. The committee is intended to be representative of the AIHA membership and the AIHce EXP audience and bring subject matter expertise and the conference attendee's perspective to the deliberations over which session proposals to choose.

More information about the CPC and how to apply is available on AIHA's website. Applications are due by April 11.

Subscribe to SynergistNOW The SynergistNOW blog offers ideas, insights, and perspectives on important topics affecting industrial hygiene professionals, written by and for experienced IHs, researchers, academics, and AIHA leaders. SynergistNOW typically features two new posts per week. Recent posts have covered topics such as the fate of OSHA’s vaccine mandate, how to get involved with the development of voluntary consensus standards, and technologies for studying healthcare worker fatigue and burnout. The blog is available to everyone with an interest in the IH and OEHS fields, but even AIHA members must subscribe. To read SynergistNOW or subscribe, visit AIHA's website.

Vote in the 2022 AIHA Board Election From Feb. 11 to March 4, AIHA members will vote in the 2022 AIHA Board of Directors election. AIHA will partner once again with ElectionBuddy to provide a safe, secure web-based voting system during this year’s election cycle. Instructions on how to vote in the election will be emailed to members this month. More information about the candidates for the 2022 election is available elsewhere in this issue.

Please email questions to Thursa Pecoraro.

AIHA Seeks Ambassadors to Brazil, Mexico, and Puerto Rico AIHA seeks members to serve as ambassadors to Brazil, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. The AIHA Ambassador Program is intended to support the development of a cooperative infrastructure of industrial hygienists and occupational and environmental health and safety professionals internationally. More information about the open positions and the program can be found on AIHA’s website.

Access IH Apps and Tools via AIHA.org Over the years, AIHA volunteers have developed tools and apps intended to provide practicing industrial hygienists with access to the information necessary to evaluate exposure profiles and determine whether exposures are acceptable or more data is needed. Visit AIHA’s website to take advantage of these software tools, which are free and regularly updated. Several are available in multiple languages.

Dates and Deadlines Feb. 8–April 12 Virtual Comprehensive Industrial Hygiene Review course. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12–2 p.m. ET, co-sponsored by the University of Michigan and the Michigan Industrial Hygiene Society.

Feb. 11–March 4 Vote in the 2022 AIHA Board of Directors election.

March 11 Deadline for students and early career professionals to apply for AIHce EXP sponsorship.

March 16 Deadline to apply for a position on AIHA’s Continuing Education Committee.

May 23–25 AIHce EXP 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee.

For a complete list of events, visit AIHA's website.