Get Ready for AIHA’s Annual Conferences It’s that time again: AIHA’s annual conferences are coming up, and AIHA staff are looking forward to seeing our members on the road in Salt Lake City in late May, and in Orlando in October. Below are some important reminders for preparing for AIHce 2015 and AIHA Fall Conference. 
Notice of AIHA annual meeting. AIHA’s annual meeting will be held at AIHce 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah, at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, June 4, to introduce incoming officers and directors, report on the results of ballot and bylaw changes, and address other business. In order to establish a quorum for this meeting, a call for proxy votes will be made electronically later this month.
Coming soon: AIHce 2015. AIHce 2015 will be held May 30–June 4 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Pre-conference education will be held May 30 and 31, and the main conference will take place June 1–4. The Advance Program for AIHce 2015 was mailed in February and can be viewed or downloaded from the AIHce website. The Advance Program features a full list of educational opportunities, highlights of events and activities offered during the conference and exposition, exhibit information, and details on registration and hotel accommodations. For more information about the conference, see "Salt Lake Sneak Peek" in this issue. To register for AIHce 2015, visit the conference website.
Ignite at AIHce. Returning for the fourth year in a row is AIHce’s version of “Ignite.” Ignite sessions—five-minute presentations where speakers share their professional and personal passions using 20 slides that auto-advance every 15 seconds—originated in the high-technology profession and has spread worldwide. Be sure to arrive early for these popular presentations, which will be held on Tuesday, June 2, from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Haven’t heard of Ignite? Get familiar with the unique presentation format by viewing past AIHce Ignite sessions on YouTube.
Registration for Fall Conference to open this spring. The 2015 AI​HA Fall Conference will be held Oct. 24–28, in Orlando, Fla. Pre-conference professional development courses (PDCs) will take place Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 24 and 25, and the main conference will take place Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 26 and 27. Post-conference PDCs will be offered Wednesday, Oct. 28. Registration and hotel information is coming soon. Please check the Fall Conference website for details.

AIHA Honors 2015 Award Recipients AIHA has announced the recipients of the 2015 AIHA Awards, which honor professionals who make significant contributions to the industrial hygiene and occupational and environmental health and safety professions. The award recipients will be recognized on Wednesday, June 3, during the Mark of Excellence Awards Breakfast at AIHce 2015.

This year’s AIHA award recipients are:
  • NIOSH Nanotechnology Field Research Team – Edward J. Baier Technical Achievement Award
  • André Dufresne, PhD, CIH – Donald E. Cummings Memorial Award
  • Thomas G. Grumbles, CIH – AIHA Distinguished Service Award
  • Christine A. Hoehn, CIH – Kusnetz Award
  • Renee Anthony, PhD, CIH – Alice Hamilton Award
  • Noel Tresider, CIH, COH – Yant Award
  • CPWR, the Center for Construction Research & Training – Social Responsibility Award
“The continuing efforts of our members and volunteers to advance the industrial hygiene profession have inspired many, and we look forward to honoring our AIHA awardees and other outstanding individuals at the inaugural Mark of Excellence Breakfast at AIHce 2015,” said AIHA President Christine A.D. Lorenzo, CIH. “This brand-new awards event will showcase these extraordinary contributions and celebrate excellence and leadership in our profession.”
Student Local Section Shares IH Profession with High School Students The Industrial Hygiene Student Association (IHSA), the student local section at University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), recently participated in the first annual Healthcare Careers for Youth Expo. IHSA had the opportunity to share the field of industrial hygiene with more than 500 high school students who attended the event. The students viewed tools used by IHs such as sound level meters and respirators, and had the opportunity to put on a supplied air breathing apparatus. The students also learned how industrial hygienists protect healthcare workers from exposures to diseases such as Ebola. The event was held in partnership with the UCLA health care system and UCLA School of Medicine. View a photo from the event on the AIHA website.

AIHA’s New Mining Working Group Seeks Members The leadership of the newly formed AIHA Mining Working Group invites interested members to join. The mission of the Mining Working Group is to share knowledge; develop meaningful and informative education materials and mechanisms; seek consensus on best practice; and foster constructive collaborations around the globe to improve miner health and welfare. To learn out more about the Mining Working Group, visit its page on the AIHA website or its LinkedIn group.

If you would like to join the Mining Working Group or have questions, please e-mail Thursa La, AIHA’s program manager, professional community, or Rustin Reed, secretary of the Mining Working Group.
Celebrate NAOSH Week 2015 May 3–9, 2015, marks the 13th Annual North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week, which includes Occupational Safety and Health Professional (OSHP) Day (May 6). NAOSH Week occurs every year during the first full week of May and is intended to raise awareness about occupational and environmental health and safety and the OEHS profession. 
Through its alliance with OSHA, AIHA is a partner in NAOSH Week. The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), the Canadian Society of Safety Engineers (CSSE), and the Interdisciplinary Association of Occupational Health and Hygiene of Mexico, Civil Association (AISOHMEX) are also sponsors.

News & Notes
AIHA Accolades
AIHA member Linda D. Lee, DrPH, MBA, recently joined American Green Technology, a manufacturer of safe lighting solutions for industry and healthcare, as executive vice president – chief science officer and HRMS product manager. Lee has been a member of AIHA’s Healthcare Working Group since 2006. AIHA member Michele N. Shepard, PhD, MS, CIH, recently joined Colden Corporation’s Albany, N.Y., office as a senior consultant. Shepard has more than 20 years of environmental health and safety experience in consulting, industry, and academic research, and is currently the vice chair of AIHA’s Nanotechnology Working Group.

Winners’ Circle
Comora Jarrett and Hugh Yao are the fourth-quarter 2014 winners of The Synergist online survey drawing. Both are lucky recipients of $200 American Express gift cards. The survey appears each Wednesday in the E-ssential Connection (soon to be renamed Synergist Weekly) e-newsletter. Remember to take the survey for your chance to win! 
Congratulations to Barry Momyer, CIH, REM, the grand prize winner of the 2014 Member-Get-a-Member (MGAM) campaign drawing. Momyer receives a complimentary registration to AIHce 2015, with free airfare and hotel stay. The 2015 MGAM program is under way. Quarterly prizes are available, and the grand prize is a VIP trip to AIHce 2016 in Baltimore, Md. To learn more about how you can be an MGAM prize winner, visit the AIHA website.
OHTA Announces New Constitution The Occupational Hygiene Training Association (OHTA), which promotes better standards of occupational hygiene practice throughout the world, has announced changes to its constitution and operation. The organization has also made progress in its courses and translations. Visit the AIHA website to learn more about recent developments at OHTA. Dates and Deadlines April 20–24
Comprehensive Industrial Hygiene Review in Ann Arbor, Mich. May 3–9 North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week 2015. May 6 Occupational Safety and Health Professional (OSHP) Day.
May 30–June 4 AIHce 2015 (co-located with Stewardship 2015) in Salt Lake City, Utah. September 22–25 26th Annual Chicagoland Safety Health & Environmental Conference (co-sponsored by the Chicago Local Section of AIHA) in Naperville, Ill. October 26–27 AIHA Fall Conference in Orlando, Fla. For a complete list of events, visit the AIHA website.

thesynergist​ | COMMUNITY