AIHA Rebrands Annual Conference AIHA is rebranding its annual conference, previously known as AIHce EXP, as “AIHA Connect: The Conference and Expo for OEHS Professionals.” The new brand was unveiled on May 24 in Phoenix, Arizona, during the final conference under the AIHce EXP name.

AIHA staff developed the new name and brand to reflect the evolution and growth of OEHS and to emphasize the conference’s value to OEHS professionals at all career stages. The new name is intended to better inform potential attendees of the conference's purpose, which includes presenting opportunities to network, discover new ideas, and access professional resources.

“As the OEHS profession continues to evolve, our annual conference is becoming increasingly valuable,” said Lawrence Sloan, AIHA’s CEO. “We wanted a name that reflects the connections and dynamic experiences that the conference provides, and one that can sustain the conference for years to come.”

AIHA Connect will continue to be the leading event at which OEHS professionals can discover industry trends, state-of-the-art research, and new technologies, as well as foster professional connections. And it will continue to host events for allied associations such as ACGIH, the Board for Global EHS Credentialing, and others. The first conference under the AIHA Connect name and brand will be held May 20–22, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio.

For more information about AIHA Connect, visit the conference’s new website. A SynergistNOW blog post further explains the rationale and process behind the conference’s rebranding.

Two New Grant Programs to Support School Infrastructure On June 2, the U.S. Department of Education announced the creation of two grants to support infrastructure in schools. The department has issued notices soliciting applicants for the new grant programs. The Supporting America’s School Infrastructure grant program provides funding and assistance to improve the quality, safety, and functionality of school facilities, while the National Center on School Infrastructure grant program will establish a national center to provide guidance, support, and expertise to improve the quality and effectiveness of educational facility infrastructure. AIHA welcomes this important step in prioritizing school infrastructure.

“Improving school infrastructure is critical to promoting public health because the construction of school buildings significantly impacts indoor air quality and other environmental factors, which in turn affect students’ physical health, well-being, and ability to learn,” an AIHA press release explains. “Many schools located in economically disadvantaged communities must use aging infrastructure, further worsening educational inequities.”

AIHA has consistently advocated for policies and measures addressing school infrastructure, as expressed in its public policy priorities for improving the learning and working conditions of schools.

The [Re]Build America’s Schools Infrastructure Coalition (BASIC), of which AIHA is a member, also endorsed the announcement of the new Department of Education grants. BASIC is a nonpartisan coalition of civic, public sector, labor, and industry associations that aims to secure federal funding to help underserved public school districts modernize and build kindergarten through grade 12 public school facilities.

Read more in AIHA’s press release.

Committee Presents H. Kenneth Dillon Award AIHA’s Biosafety and Environmental Microbiology Committee honored Subin Han, a PhD student in the Occupational Health Sciences Program at Purdue University, with this year’s H. Kenneth Dillon Award at AIHce EXP 2023. The committee presents this award to honor the memory of H. Kenneth Dillon, a former committee member and AIHA Fellow, to recognize the best student poster in biosafety or environmental microbiology at the conference. Han received the award for her poster, “Development of a Bioaerosol Sampler Combined with a Latex Agglutination Kit for Rapid Detection of Airborne Legionella.” Han, who has a background in mechanical engineering, is interested in the transmission of hazardous aerosols and their health effects. Her goal is to contribute to occupational health through further research on aerosols and work in academia mentoring students in this area.

Visit the AIHA website for more information on the Biosafety and Environmental Microbiology Committee.

Congratulations to AIHA’s 2023 Fellows and Award Recipients In May, AIHA announced the individuals to be honored this year as Fellows or recipients of the association’s annual awards.

Individuals who have 15 years of full AIHA membership and have made significant contributions to the occupational and environmental health and safety profession through research, leadership, publications, education, or service are eligible to become Fellows. This year’s Fellows are Joseph Cocciardi, PhD, MS, CSP, CIH, REHS, RS; Kim Diep, CIH; Susan E. Kotowski, PhD, CPE; J. David Krause, PhD, MSPH, CIH; William J. Mills III, PhD, MSc, CIH, CChem; and Ziqing Zhuang, PhD.

AIHA's annual awards recognize OEHS professionals who have made outstanding contributions to fostering and advancing industrial hygiene and OEHS in workplaces and communities around the world. This year’s award recipients are: •President’s Distinguished Service to AIHA Award: Georgi I. Popov, PhD, QEP, CSP, ARM, SMS, CMC, FAIHA •Alice Hamilton Award for Social Responsibility: Marc Cousineau (posthumous) •Donald E. Cummings Memorial Award for Outstanding OEHS Practice: Kathryn A. Makos, MPH, CIH •Edward J. Baier Technical Achievement Award: Richard L. Neitzel, PhD, CIH, FAIHA •Kusnetz Award for Outstanding Achievement by an Early Career Professional: Amanda Kramer, CIH •Yant Award for Outstanding International Service: Lu Li Lewis, CIH

A full list of individuals and groups recognized during AIHce EXP 2023 can be found in AIHA’s press release.

Students Recognized for Best-in-Show Posters Congratulations to the students whose posters were selected as best in show during AIHce EXP 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. Andrew Floeder of the University of Minnesota came in first place with the poster “Investigating Antineoplastic Drug Contamination in Veterinary Canine Patients by LC-SRM-MS/MS.” This is the second year in a row that Floeder has placed first. The second-place winner was the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Nathan Chen, whose poster was titled “Occupational Exposure to Hand-Arm Vibration (HAV) in U.S. Groundskeepers.” Victoria Rollins of the University of North Alabama placed third for the poster “Evaluation of a Shortened REDON Fit Test Protocol for Full Facepiece Respirators Using the OHD Quantifit.”

AIHA Connect 2024 is scheduled to be held May 20–22 in Columbus, Ohio. The submission portal for the 2024 conference is now open, and proposals for student posters and presentations will be due on March 13, 2024. Learn more on the conference website.

In Memoriam Ronald D. Roy, CIH, CSP, who was an active member of AIHA’s Central New York Local Section for many years, passed away on May 5. He was 67. Roy served as president of the Central New York Local Section during 1993–1994 and was previously involved in AIHA’s Confined Spaces and Legal Issues Committees. He retired in 2020 from his career in health and safety after working for numerous companies. Read his obituary online.

APIC Offers Deal for AIHA Members The Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC) is offering AIHA members the ability to purchase courses and webinars at APIC member rates. The benefits of this offer include e-learning courses and live training (in person or virtual) at APIC member rates. Webinars are free as a member benefit. This offer is valid through Dec. 31, 2023. Learn about APIC at apic.org, and find the promo code on Catalyst, AIHA’s online community (member login required).

Online Event on Total Worker Health Join AIHA and the Society for Total Worker Health online on Sept. 6 for a peer learning series that is intended to elevate evidence-based practices and highlight professionals actively applying the Total Worker Health approach within their organizations and workforces. AIHA members can attend this event at no charge. Visit Catalyst (member login required) to learn more.

IOHA 2024 in Ireland The International Occupational Hygiene Association (IOHA) is organizing the 13th IOHA International Scientific Conference in association with the Occupational Hygiene Society of Ireland and the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS). The conference will be held June 9–13, 2024, in Dublin, Ireland. Organizers are seeking ideas from individuals who are interested in contributing to the conference. Learn more at on the IOHA website and find information about submitting proposals from BOHS.

Dates and Deadlines Aug. 23 AIHA University webinar: “An IH and a Data Scientist Swap Perspectives on Big Data.”

Sept. 12–Nov. 16 Virtual Comprehensive Industrial Hygiene Review Course. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 12–2 p.m. ET, cosponsored by the University of Michigan and the Michigan Industrial Hygiene Society.

Sept. 13 Deadline to submit proposals for professional development courses, education sessions, case studies, scientific research, and professional posters for AIHA Connect.

Oct. 17–19 PSX 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts.

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