Occupational Safety and Health Training Project Grant in Industrial Hygiene

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The University of North Alabama (UNA) Industrial Hygiene (IH) Program is currently one of five baccalaureate programs in IH accredited in the U.S. UNA has earned a reputation for graduating a pool of qualified industrial hygienists who are providing valuable services to workers and employers in this geographical region and beyond. The continuation of the NIOSH Training Project Grant (TPG) is essential to maintain the current expectations of academic quality, to expand into new and promising foreseeable opportunities, and to be effective in recruiting and retaining students with good scholastic merits. Therefore, the objectives of this proposal for the continuation of the NIOSH-TPG are threefold: (i) support the efforts of continuous academic improvement; (ii) promote the recruitment of qualified students into the OH&S field; and (iii) expand the educational opportunities and services of the IH Program. Continuous improvement will be approached by periodic evaluations of program objectives, annual evaluations of educational outcomes and by timely corrections of shortcomings. Recruitment will be promoted by academic scholarships (NIOSH TPG and departmental) and planned activities to reach out potential candidates including minorities (mailings, presentations, participation in the annual UNA Preview Day and the annual Department of Chemistry and IH open house). Educational opportunities will be sought after to support international graduate program agreements (occupational health and safety, OH&S concentration in MBAs) and the new engineering technology option to be offered at UNA (service, delivering the OH&S component). The NIOSH TPG has been pivotal in helping this small baccalaureate program in IH, housed at a regional university, reach a noticeable role as a contributor to the national advancement of OH&S. The discontinuation of this grant will undoubtedly hinder our efforts, principally by affecting enrollment and graduation rates.