First published on July 13, 2015 in observance of the COPH’s 30^th anniversary celebration.

Founded in 1997 by a training grant supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the Sunshine Education and Research Center at the USF College of Public Health stemmed from an industrial hygiene training program grant in the late 1980s.

“NIOSH has several charters,” explained Dr. Thomas Bernard, chair and professor in Environmental and Occupational Health and SERC (pronounced SIR-see) program director since 2008.  “One of them is to support and encourage the development of professionals in the field of occupational safety and health.  A mechanism for doing that is through training grants.”

After Bernard’s arrival in 1989, additional training program grants followed in occupational medicine and occupational health nursing.  Then the department began work on an occupational safety program.  Eight years later, the fledgling operation had grown enough to warrant centralization.

“In the mid-’90s,” Bernard said, “we decided that we would combine those training activities with a grant and ask for an education center.  The application required that it have training in at least three programs, and we had four: safety, industrial hygiene, medicine and nursing.  The application was accepted and funded under the leadership of Stuart M. Brooks and Yehia Hammad.”

Being headquartered at a university the size of USF naturally leads any interdisciplinary entity into an expansion cornucopia that Bernard is happy to enumerate, along with the USF colleges involved.

“Because they are multidiscipline programs, part of their value is the interdisciplinary training,” he said.  “We added, about seven years ago, occupational health psychology, so that’s now a funded program in Arts and Sciences.  We’ve expanded the safety program to include a degree out of engineering.  Obviously, we’re involved with the [Morsani] College of Medicine:  The clinical rotations and residency certificates come out of medicine, and then the academic training comes out of public health.

“With nursing,” he said, “we have three options.  One is a straight occupational health nursing degree, a second one is a dual degree in nursing and public health, and then we also have a third degree that’s strictly public health.”

Thomas Bernard, PhD

Another requirement under the grant from NIOSH, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is a continuing education component,  which also has been added.  Additional expansion has stemmed from outreach activities, student recruitment and a pilot project in research training for doctoral students and junior faculty.

“We support these throughout the region,” Bernard qualified, “so they aren’t only for USF.  We have reached way beyond ourselves in terms of the arrangements that we have, but we engage the professional community more than the community at large.”

He added that the center is “very much engaged” in state and regional professional conferences, as well as in coordination with other ERCs in the state and the region.

“By and large, we have a very good national profile,” he said.  “There are just a couple of us that reach out globally, but those are more individual efforts.  The ERC is designed to serve primarily Florida, and in a larger sense, the Southeast region.  That’s our mission and our charter from NIOSH, not to go beyond that, but I think we have expertise in a number of areas that have national recognition.”

The highly technical nature of some of those areas probably help limit recognition to professional circles, but their significance would be difficult to deny. Respiratory protection from nanoparticles is one of them, but as Bernard pointed out, it’s not exactly a topic on most people’s minds.

“Few people are asking, ‘What happens when you breathe those in?’  Some of them have characteristics that are not unlike asbestos.  Others are easily transported across the air-blood barriers, so they move through the lungs into the blood and get transported elsewhere in the body.  So protecting individuals from nanoparticles is important,” he said.

And the list goes on.

“We have a major presence in the area of heat stress – how to evaluate heat stress, how to manage it, and especially, the effects of protective clothing.  We have fairly good recognition in Europe in the area of ergonomics,” he continued,  “and occupational health psychology clearly is one of our well-recognized programs.”

Workplace stress, safety climate and work-family balance are others, he said.

“And then,” he concluded with a nod that said he’d saved the best for last, “we turn out good students, and we’re recognized through the product of the quality of our students.”

SERC hosts a six-day Summer Institute for Occupational Health and Safety for students interested in exploring graduate studies.

Looking ahead is easy for Bernard, and he likes what he sees for his organization.

“I think that everything we do in public health, and everything we do within the SERC, is prevention – preventing people from being injured or having their health impaired,” he said.  “But I think our opportunity here at USF lies in translating research to practice and also expanding on the fact that a healthy workforce is healthy not only from controlling exposures to hazards in the workplace, but also from encouraging healthy activities outside the workplace.

“So, bringing these work and home lives together is an opportunity for us,” Bernard concluded, “and that’s where I see our future.”

Story by David Brothers, College of Public Health.

The post Sunshine Education and Research Center links multiple disciplines to improve the wellbeing of workers appeared first on College of Public Health News.

First published on May 8, 2020 in observance of the COPH’s 35^th anniversary celebration.

The Sunshine Education and Research Center (Sunshine ERC) located in the USF College of Public Health is one of 18 National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) education and research centers across the nation that provides interdisciplinary training of occupational safety and health professionals.

The Sunshine ERC, which was founded in 1997, offers programs collaboratively with the Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Arts and Sciences and focuses on evidence-based practice and research, continuing education and outreach.

“Over the years this continuing education program evolved into a vehicle to provide low cost opportunities for professional development,” said Dr. Thomas E. Bernard, USF College of Public Health professor and Sunshine ERC center director. “The scope of the center also increased with pilot project research training and more opportunities for interdisciplinary activities.”

According to Bernard, USF COPH’s Drs. Yehia Hammad, Stuart Brooks and Pete Rentos had a vision for starting a NIOSH-supported education and research center that would be the first new center in a decade.

“As funded, the Sunshine ERC was the umbrella for industrial hygiene, occupational medicine and occupational health nursing with a nascent continuing education program. We then added occupational safety and occupational health psychology (OHP)­­—the first ERC to have an OHP program,” he said.

Bernard and Dr. Candance Burns of the College of Nursing, assumed leadership of the Sunshine ERC in 2008.

According to Bernard, with growing support from NIOSH, the Sunshine ERC affiliated with the University of Puerto Rico (UPR), expanded interdisciplinary activities and enhanced outreach into underserved populations.

“This momentum carried us into the current funding cycle with the addition of UCF to support research training directed at the hospitality industry, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University for a new vision of occupational safety, and programs with UPR in disaster resilience for workers. Further, we now have a supported online program in health, safety and environment,” Bernard said.

The Sunshine ERC focuses on providing training that reflects the needs of key industries in Florida and emerging issues of the nation.

“Students in the Sunshine ERC receive solid training in their chosen field,” Bernard said. “The real value-added is further experience in interdisciplinary activities to better prepare them for the practice of occupational health, safety and wellness.”

Trainees spend time with peers from across disciplines in public health, nursing, and medicine at USF, psychology at USF and UCF, hospitality at UCF, and aviation at Embry-Riddle, according to Bernard.

“Each trainee is enrolled in a degree program within their institution,” Bernard said. “It is the interdisciplinary experience that takes them beyond their specific discipline.”

For example, Bernard explained, trainees are expected to attend one ERC-wide session that provides information of interest to all.

“This varies a little and includes responsible conduct of research, general principles of occupational health, safety and wellness, and team building exercises,” he said.

Trainees are also encouraged to attend national symposiums and also contribute and participate in research projects sponsored by the ERC and its faculty.

Zach Brandes-Powell, a second year occupational exposure science student in the COPH, said the Sunshine ERC has expanded his experience level as a student. 

“The mentoring and encouragement of the professors and members of the ERC have helped to push me to do things I wouldn’t have thought I was capable of with my current level of experience,” he said.  “For example, through the ERC’s support, I was able to co-present on the benefit of internships for occupational safety and health students and professionals at the American Industrial Hygiene Conference and Exposition (AIHCE). With their encouragement, I also started to offer to tutor students taking industrial hygiene related courses. These opportunities have helped me to develop skills that will be beneficial to me in life and throughout my career in occupational safety and industrial hygiene.”

Brandes-Powell said going to AIHCE 2019 has been a highlight for him.

“We were able to meet students from ERCs around the country and interact with alumni of the program. The impact that the ERC has on its students was evident as the current students instantly found common ground with the alumni when talking about our courses and projects,” he said.

Miriam Escobar, also a second-year occupational exposure science student in the COPH, said the Sunshine ERC has helped her expand her networking abilities with professionals from other disciplines.  

“Now, I am part of a diversified professional network with a common goal to improve the safety and health of others in various occupational industries,” she said.

She said the highlight of her experience so far has been the ability to participate in the Puerto Rico Resiliency focus group research.

“I was able to travel to Puerto Rico and hear first hand how the hospitality community was not only affected by hurricane Maria but also come together and prevail,” Escobar said.

Currently, the Sunshine ERC is supporting four COVID-19 research projects through its program development fund, according to Bernard, three at USF and one at UCF.

Bernard said that while the Sunshine ERC focuses on students within the ERC disciplines, they have started to also engage students and faculty interested in disaster management.

“If students have an interest they should contact me or Ms. Kelly Freedman and we will see if there is an opportunity with current projects,” he said. “We would welcome and support expenses for some students outside the ERC to participate in interdisciplinary activities.”

Story by Anna Mayor, USF College of Public Health

The post Sunshine ERC provides students cross-discipline collaboration appeared first on College of Public Health News.

It was a toxicology class at the Inter American University in Puerto Rico that spurred USF College of Public Health (COPH) graduate Dr. Luis F. Pieretti’s interest in industrial hygiene. 

“At that time, I was thinking about pursuing a graduate degree, but I wasn’t sure in which field,” said Pieretti, who hails from the municipality of Yauco, located in the southern part of Puerto Rico. “The professor who taught the [toxicology] course gave me a booklet from the Society of Toxicology that listed graduate programs. While browsing the programs, I came across the industrial hygiene program at the University of Puerto Rico. After doing some research, I discovered that I really liked the idea of helping protect workers’ health.”

“I discovered that I really liked the idea of helping protect workers’ health.”

From Puerto Rico to Tampa

Pieretti says he decided to pursue his doctoral degree in industrial hygiene (now called occupational exposure science) at the COPH because of the research the college was conducting and the highly regarded faculty driving it.

“My advisor, Dr. Yehia Y. Hammad, who’s now retired, had an extensive knowledge of and enthusiasm for the industrial hygiene field,” said Pieretti, who received his PhD from the college in 2010. “He really inspired me to be a better professional. The same applies to Drs. Thomas Bernard and Steve Mlynarek, who, even though I’ve graduated from the program, still provide valuable advice. When I started at the college, the language barrier was a big challenge,” Pieretti added. “However, the support and patience of the COPH faculty and staff helped me a lot. Walking the hallways of the COPH and having great relationships not only with the faculty but all the supporting staff made my journey more pleasurable.” 

“Walking the hallways of the COPH and having great relationships not only with the faculty but all the supporting staff made my journey more pleasurable.”

From student to industrial hygiene specialist

Pieretti has worked as an industrial hygiene specialist with the pharmaceutical giant Johnson and Johnson, a safety and health consultant for USF SafetyFlorida Consultation Program (which provides free, confidential, compliance assistance to Florida’s small, high-hazard and private-sector employers) and a private industrial hygiene consultant. 

Today, Pieretti is the manager of the industrial hygiene program at The MEMIC Group, a workers’ compensation carrier with corporate offices in Portland, Maine.

“I help policyholders prevent occupational injuries and enhance their current occupational safety and health programs,” Pieretti explained. “I am the first person occupying my current position, so it’s allowed me to have a blank slate to develop and implement the industrial hygiene policies and practices for the company. I love the fact that I still get to do exposure assessments and conduct research through the MEMIC Safety Research Center.”

Pieretti says his proudest professional accomplishment to date has been his selection to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Board of Scientific Counselors and his work launching the MEMIC Safety Research Center, which debuted in Feb. 2021.

“The objectives of the research center are sponsoring and conducting research focused on the understanding and reduction of occupational injuries and illnesses,” Pieretti said. “We’re also developing and publishing information stemming from that safety research and serving as a bridge between business, academia and state entities by sharing resources for enhancing the knowledge of injury prevention.” The center will be awarding a grant of $30,000. You can read more about it here. 

What’s the future hold for Pieretti? He’s hoping for more opportunities to conduct and share (especially with public health students) research in the occupational safety and health field.

“What interests me the most about public health is the multidisciplinary approach it takes to solving problems,” Pieretti commented. “Complex issues have complex answers, and having a multidisciplinary approach is essential—not only to address the issues but also to communicate and educate affected stakeholders.”

“Complex issues have complex answers, and having a multidisciplinary approach is essential… .”

Alumni Fast Five

What did you dream of becoming when you were young?

A scientist.

Where can we find you on the weekends?

At home with my beloved wife and dog.

What is the last book you read?

“Warnings: Finding Cassandras to Stop Catastrophes,” by Richard A. Clarke and R.P. Eddy

What superpower would you like to have?

Teletransportation.

What’s your all-time favorite movie? 

“The Hunt for Red October.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health

The post COPH alum works to understand—and reduce—occupational injuries appeared first on College of Public Health News.

The USF College of Public Health held a celebration and reception on Friday, October 4 to recognize and honor the contributions and work of faculty and staff at their 5, 15, 20, 30 and 35 year service milestones.

“Whether we are faculty, staff, administrators or leaders all of us are part of the fabric of the College of Public Health which enables us to do the work that we do. That which helps us grow and improve lives,” COPH Dean Donna Petersen said.

A tradition for the COPH, the Annual Length of Service Awards, began as a simple gesture in 2009. This year 22 faculty and staff members were honored.

Congratulations to all employees who celebrated milestone years of service in 2019!

5 Years of Service: Debora Casandra, Theresa Crocker, Meleine Desir, Gidi Hendrix, Rays Jiang, Thanh Le, Jennifer Marshall, Adam Marty, Tali Schneider, Ronee Wilson and Elizabeth Woodcock

15 Years of Service: Donna Petersen, Somer Burke, Bill Donahue, Michael Haywood, Natalie Preston, Angela Salem and Peggy Smith

20 Years of Service: Etienne Pracht

30 Years of Service: Thomas Bernard and Yehia Hammad

35 Years of Service: Jay Wolfson

Click here to view all pictures from the Length of Service Awards.

Story by Caitlin Keough, USF College of Public Health

The post Length of Service Award Ceremony celebrates faculty and staff appeared first on College of Public Health News.

Two USF College of Public Health faculty members traveled to the Capitol area to provide input on their various areas of expertise. Dr. Kevin Kip, distinguished USF Health professor, served on the FDA Circulatory System Devices Panel of the Medical Devices Advisory Committee and Dr. Thomas Bernard, professor of occupational health, gave his testimony at a congressional mandate to implement a heat stress standard.

From June 19-20, the FDA Circulatory System Devices Panel Advisory Committee discussed and made recommendations on information related to recent observations of increased late mortality in patients treated with paclitaxel-coated balloons and paclitaxel-eluting stents compared to patients treated without the coated devices.

The meeting was established after the article titled “Risk of Death Following Application of Paclitaxel-Coated Balloons and Stents in the Femoropopliteal Artery of the Leg: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials” was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

The article concluded that there is increased risk of death following application of paclitaxel‐coated balloons and stents in the femoropopliteal artery of the lower limbs and that further investigations are urgently warranted.

As a Special Government Employee, a program that allows professionals to serve on Federally-established advisory committees and industry employees to work alongside OSHA and participate in OSHA outreach and compliance assistance activities, Kip was called in to join the committee during the two-day meeting.

The panel discussed the following questions: is there a presence of a mortality signal, what is the class effect, what is the impact of missing data, were there trends in subgroup analyses, what is the cause of death, is there a paclitaxel dose and mortality relationship, are there trends in pre-clinical studies, what is the benefit-risk profile, are there post market studies and surveillance, should labeling be changed, should there be changes to the study design, and are there other indications.

They concluded that a late mortality signal associated with the use of paclitaxel-coated devices was present and agreed that the signal should be interpreted with caution because due of small sample size, pooling of studies of different paclitaxel-coated devices that were not intended to be combined, substantial amounts of missing study data, no clear evidence of a paclitaxel dose effect on mortality, and no known singular cause of late deaths. They also concluded that additional clinical study data are needed to fully evaluate the late mortality signal.

While the panel found that there was a late mortality signal, there are clinical benefits to paclitaxel-coated devices and those benefits should be considered along with the potential risks. Paclitaxel-coated devices do improve blood flow to the legs and decrease the likelihood of repeat procedures to reopen blocked blood vessels compared with uncoated devices.

“My sense is that it’d be hard to start a whole new trial and a whole new large definitive study that would require follow up of treated patients for a long period of time,” Kip said. “Therefore, I believe that the FDA should seek to maximize efforts from the existing studies, including understanding reasons for and minimizing the amount of missing data, and secondarily, to follow the previously treated patients longer, including from 5-10 years post-treatment. In other words, keep collecting data from the existing studies would be my recommendation.”

***

On July 10, 2019, U.S. House of Representatives Democrats released a bill that, if passed, would require OSHA to develop a federal standard on workplace heat stress. Under the proposed bill, OSHA would have two years to propose a heat protection standard to protect both indoor and outdoor workers.

Representative Judy Chu, D-Calif., and Representative Raúl M. Grijalva, D-Ariz., introduced the Asunción Valdivia Heat Illness and Fatality Prevention Act, which is named for Asunción Valdivia, a farmworker who died after picking grapes for a 10-hour shift in 105-degree heat.

Bernard was a part of the six-person panel addressing heat stress and occupational health from a science and policy point of view. Other panel members included workers who were exposed to heat stress as well as representatives from industries where heat stress is a problem.

Bernard believes that an enforceable OSHA standard can bring visibility and clarity to the structure and function of an effective heat stress management program.

“Heat stress is an underappreciated workplace hazard. We all have worked or played in hot environments, and may even have felt some of the symptoms of heat exhaustion,” Bernard said. “This common experience leads us to under-appreciate the real risks. Heat stress is serious when the workplace is not prepared to deal with it.”

“It is my opinion based on my experience and practice that an enforceable OSHA standard can bring visibility and clarity to the structure and function of an effective heat stress management program,” he said.

There are three states in the U.S. that already have standards for heat stress: California, Washington and Minnesota. While Bernard thinks that there’s a small chance of the bill passing, he does think that building public awareness surrounding it is a great outcome.

“I think we’re still at the stage where it’s building the public awareness and beginning to build an interest in doing something,” Bernard said. “I think a year ago I would have said that the chances of having a standard were zero. Today I can say that there’s something a little bit better than zero.”

Story by Caitlin Keough, USF College of Public Health

The post COPH professors testify on Capitol Hill appeared first on College of Public Health News.

If ever there was a ground zero for studying disaster management, it is Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.

In May an interdisciplinary team of students from USF’s College of Public Health and its Sunshine Education and Research Center (ERC) traveled with faculty advisors Dr. Anthony Masys, associate professor of global disaster management, humanitarian assistance and homeland security (GHH), and Elizabeth Dunn, a GHH instructor, to Puerto Rico to analyze post-hurricane conditions on the still-recovering island.

The ERC promotes interdisciplinary research and learning among five academic programs—occupational medicine, occupational health nursing, industrial hygiene, occupational safety and occupational health psychology—and partners with several universities around the country, including the University of Puerto Rico (UPR) in San Juan. UPR students of public health, led by Dr. Lida Orta-Anes, a professor of environmental health at the school, joined the USF group. This was the first formal interaction between occupational health and safety trainees and students and faculty in GHH.

UPR and USF students, faculty and staff pose with community member Angel Rubio (standing, second from right) and the artistic piece he created to symbolize his feelings of what the community was experiencing post-Hurricane Maria. (Photo courtesy of Cathy Silva)

“This collaborative, interdisciplinary nature is what public health is all about,” commented Dr. Thomas Bernard, a professor of environmental and occupational health and director of the Sunshine ERC. “This trip gave our students a wider view of life than what we train them for in the classroom.”

Masys described the trip as “boots on the ground training” with the students “getting their hands dirty with data.”

The group spent three days on the island collecting and analyzing data “through the lens of disaster management,” Masys said. The USF team attended presentations given by their UPR counterparts chronicling life in post-Maria Puerto Rico. They then traveled to urban and rural sites to see firsthand the effects of the disaster.

One such place was the cemetery near Castillo San Felipe Del Morro, a 16th century fortress and one of Puerto Rico’s most-visited historical landmarks.

“When looking from afar, the cemetery looks beautiful,” said Derek Erickson, an MPH student majoring in epidemiology and global communicable disease who was part of the USF group. “Observing it up close, however, we saw many stone crosses, angels and other memorials broken. In natural disasters, not even the dead are safe.”

Overhead view of cemetery with toppled headstones near Castillo San Felipe Del Morro. (Photo courtesy of Derek Erickson)

Later the group returned to the classroom to develop a visual ethnography (the use of pictures, drawings and other visual mediums that capture social realities and encourage visual thinking) to discuss a disaster-relief strategy both the USF and UPR teams could work on together.

“We saw evidence of a still-hurting community,” noted Masys. “There was debris all around, power lines were down and waterlines were visible on people’s houses. We got to see how infrastructure—having power and clear roadways, for instance—can impact the well-being of a community. We talked about the health and safety dimensions of a disaster and its cascading effects. For example, what happens to the chemicals in a plant? Do they get scattered? What impact will that have? Is the country prepared to clean it up post disaster?”

The students also spent time looking at community resiliency.

“We saw a powerful example of this in a small town where three women had come together and set up a command center in one of the schools,” Masys explained. “They set up a system where people could get food and health care. They completely galvanized the cooperation of the community. We’ll be doing some future research on the qualities these women have and best practices in community resiliency.”

USF students and faculty explore Old San Juan. (Photo courtesy of Cathy Silva)

Now back home, the next step, say both Bernard and Masys, is continued collaboration.

“We’ll ask for funding from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) over a multi-year period to gather more data and pilot-test interventions,” commented Bernard. “I think some more specific data collection will be helpful—so will revisiting the things others have already done and evaluating their effects. How good was Puerto Rico’s hurricane response plan? What happens when it fails to protect? Were there any unanticipated exposures to hazards? Thinking beyond the public service announcement and getting people better prepared for disasters are some of the ultimate goals.”

Story by Donna Campisano, USF College of Public Health

The post COPHers study public health in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico appeared first on College of Public Health News.

“Your accomplishments are noteworthy; each and every one of you has achieved something very important,” said USF College of Public Health Dean Donna Petersen. “You all will bring your public health perspective with you wherever you are. It’s amazing how public health is pretty much everywhere if you really start to look at it.”

Doctoral students leading the declaration of commitment to public health at the USF College of Public Health graduation celebration. (Photo by Caitlin Keough)

On Friday, Dec. 8, the COPH hosted two celebratory events in honor of its newest graduates. Family, friends, students, faculty and staff gathered for a ceremony and reception to recognize the talents and achievements of the fall 2017 graduating class.

“This is really a milestone and a huge accomplishment,” said COPH Undergraduate Studies Assistant Dean Dr. Kay Perrin. “In fact you probably don’t realize this, but only 26 percent of the adult population has an undergraduate degree and only 3 percent have a master’s degree.”

This semester, 88 undergraduates, 75 masters and 11 doctoral students graduated and entered the public health profession.

Dr. Dinorah Martinez Tyson addressing graduate students at the ceremony. (Photo by Caitlin Keough)

Every year the COPH Outstanding Faculty Award winner offers words of inspiration to the graduating class. This year’s speaker was Dr. Dinorah Martinez Tyson, assistant professor in the Department of Community and Family Health.

“My message to you is to be persistent, don’t let the fear of “what if” ruin the joy of “what is”, or diminish what you are capable of. The world is full of possibilities, even the ones not planned,” Martinez Tyson said. “As public health professionals and advocates, you are pursuing opportunities where you can have an impact on the world. Where you can have meaningful careers that prevent illness, educate and inform policy, help those who are sick manage disease, and keep our workplace and communities safe. Know that you are ready and that you have the knowledge, skills and passion necessary to create a positive social change!”

Alumna Karen Serrano Acre, BSPH, MSPH. (Photo by Natalie Preston)

Alumna Karen Serrano Acre, health education associate at Feeding Tampa Bay, was the keynote speaker for the Undergraduate Pinning Ceremony. Based on her own experiences, she gave the new graduates some encouraging words of guidance.

“I have two pieces of advice for you all. The first is to please network. I know you hear it a lot but it really does work —whether it’s in the community, with your coworkers or with students— that’s where opportunities arise. If it wasn’t for a peer I worked with on a group project, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Serrano Acre said. “The second piece is to always practice your passion, even if you cannot get a job right away directly related to it, talk about, find a way to implement it and as soon as you get a chance go ahead and practice it. Congratulations again and good luck!”

Family and friends capture key moments at the COPH graduation celebration. (Photo by Natalie Preston)

New alumna Diana Yang lets the world know she is now “hotter by two degrees.” (Photo by Natalie Preston)

Undergraduate alumna Marah Al Khawaja (second from left) celebrating with her family at the Undergraduate Pinning Ceremony reception. (Photo by Natalie Preston)

Here are some of the stories from the Class of 2017:

Originally from Ponce, Puerto Rico, USF College of Public Health alumna Adelmarie Bones started practicing industrial hygiene after graduating with her bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus in 2007.

After working in the field for five years, Bones wanted to gain more expertise in the area of industrial hygiene by obtaining her MSPH at the COPH, where many of her superiors and mentors earned their degrees.

“I have a very specific interest in environmental health and how the environment plays an important role in health overall,” she said. “I enjoy reaching out to the public and educating on conservation to the planet and at the same time prevent disease that could arise from the environment.”

Alumna Adelmarie Bones, MSPH. (Photo courtesy of Bones)

Bones said that she has had an excellent experience during her time as a student and enjoyed the opportunity to learn.

One of her favorite memories at the COPH was when she went to Puerto Rico for an educational exchange with the University of Puerto Rico Medical Campus.

“I was able to show our interest in public relations about industrial hygiene and was able to show off my beautiful country to my peer students and faculty members!” Bones said.

A member of the American Industrial Hygiene Association student member, Bones was also able to cross train in the field of environmental risk.

Bones was inspired by Dr. Thomas Bernard, professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH).

“His contributions to industrial hygiene have been tremendous,” she said. “Thanks to him we have better knowledge and experience into how to promote occupational health, specifically in heat stress.”

Bones’ hard work and drive to learn made a lasting impression on those around her in the COPH.

After graduation, Bones will take her industrial hygiene skills to a new level by partnering with a Tampa Bay consulting firm. The firm, Air Analytics, LLC was founded by Edward Nuñez. In September 2017, Bones went into as partnership with him to expand the business with the new Tampa location.

Read more of her story here.

***

As someone with an MPH, an established career in health care and more than five years post GRE, USF College of Public Health alumna Angela Thomas, DrPH, was looking for an accredited doctoral public health program that would acknowledge and leverage her expertise, previous education, and would allow her to balance school with her other obligations. The COPH met all of those requirements.

Alumna Angela Thomas and Dean Donna Petersen at the USF College of Public Health graduation ceremony. (Photo by Ellen Kent)

Born and raised in Detroit, Thomas earned her BS and MPH from the University of Michigan and her MBA from Walsh College of Accountancy and Business.

Thomas was first introduced to public health as a senior in college.

“I was formerly pre-med and did not know that there was a way to do what I really wanted to do in health care – work with people to help them lead healthier lives – without being a doctor,” she said. “I was introduced to public health two weeks before the deadline to be admitted to the MPH program. I scrambled to get an application in, but I did and was admitted.”

Thomas said she loved being able to earn her DrPH in the advanced practice leadership in public health program.

“I really enjoyed the program. It’s perfect for the professionals who want to earn their doctorate with academic rigor along with the opportunity to meet faculty and peers, but need the flexibility for life and work. There were lots of changes to the program along the way, but being able to adjust is part of life.  There’s always change,” she said.

During her time as a student at the COPH, Thomas was inspired by Dean Donna Petersen.

“I’m a student of leadership and when I took Dean Petersen’s leadership course at our first Summer Institute, she shared so much of her leadership journey and philosophy, I found myself inspired by that journey,” Thomas said.

After graduation, Thomas will continue working in her role as executive director of MedStar Health Services Research Network. As the executive director, she is responsible for research development, compliance, human resource, administration, finance and operations for MedStar’s health services research program.

Read more of her story here.

Related media:
Undergraduate photo galleries on Facebook and Google Photos
Graduate photo galleries on Facebook and Google Photos

Story by Caitlin Keough, USF College of Public Health

The post Class of 2017 ends the year with new degree and renewed passion appeared first on College of Public Health News.

Originally from Ponce, Puerto Rico, USF College of Public Health alumna Adelmarie Bones started practicing industrial hygiene after graduating with her bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus in 2007.

After working in the field for five years, Bones wanted to gain more expertise in the area of industrial hygiene by obtaining her MSPH at the COPH, where many of her superiors and mentors earned their degrees.

“I have a very specific interest in environmental health and how the environment plays an important role in health overall,” she said. “I enjoy reaching out to the public and educating on conservation to the planet and at the same time prevent disease that could arise from the environment.”

Alumna Adelmarie Bones, MSPH (Photo courtesy of Bones).

Bones said that she has had an excellent experience during her time as a student and enjoyed the opportunity to learn.

One of her favorite memories at the COPH was when she went to Puerto Rico for an educational exchange with the University of Puerto Rico Medical Campus.

“I was able to show our interest in public relations about industrial hygiene and was able to show off my beautiful country to my peer students and faculty members!” Bones said.

A member of the American Industrial Hygiene Association student member, Bones was also able to cross train in the field of environmental risk.

Bones was inspired by Dr. Thomas Bernard, professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH).

“His contributions to industrial hygiene have been tremendous,” she said. “Thanks to him we have better knowledge and experience into how to promote occupational health, specifically in heat stress.”

Bones’ hard work and drive to learn made a lasting impression on those around her in the COPH.

“Adelmarie was always willing to work very hard. Throughout the program she showed intense effort – she was always prepared and always had questions,” said Dr. Steven Mlynarek, professor in EOH. “The knowledge and skills she learned in the program gave her the confidence and tools to start her own environmental consulting company.  We are very proud of Ms. Bones and wish her continued success.”

Outside of the COPH, Bones is a group fitness instructor. She teaches two or three classes per week in different formats including zumba, body works and boot camp.

“It is another way of promoting health using my skills,” she said.

After graduation, Bones will take her industrial hygiene skills to a new level by partnering with a Tampa Bay consulting firm. The firm, Air Analytics, LLC was founded by Edward Nuñez. In September 2017, Bones went into as partnership with him to expand the business with the new Tampa location.

In this new role, Bones offers professional services in the expertise of industrial hygiene. The company focuses on asbestos, mold, chemical fumes, water sample testing and recommendations based on OSHA and EPA regulatory limits of exposure. She also helps clients comply with OSHA and EPA regulation so that they can have a safe work environment for their employees.

“I feel both excitement and fear. It is very exciting to see what I am able to create,” she said. “I want to create jobs and become a respected firm where people call us when they need our help.”

Story by Caitlin Keough, USF College of Public Health

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Dr. Thomas Bernard, chair of Environmental and Occupational Health at the USF College of Public Health, delivered the keynote message at a heat stress symposium in Sohar, Oman, the last week of April.

Tom Bernard, PhD

The manifold purpose of the symposium was to share information on current heat stress prevention and management programs followed in various industries; to propose a model for heat stress prevention, mitigation, monitoring and management; to introduce the concept of using heat stress indices in heat stress management; and to facilitate exchange of technical information on heat stress management protocols.  The focus was on Sohar Aluminum, a major manufacturing firm in Oman.

Bernard converses with Dr. Mohammed Al Yazidi, director of environmental and occupational health for the Ministry of Health, Oman, at a worker health and safety exhibit associated with a World Health Organization annual activity.

Said Al Masoudi, CEO of Sohar Aluminum, presented Bernard with a painting by a local artist supported by Sohart, a program to encourage the arts in Sohar.

Bernard’s primary teaching assignments support the occupational safety and health program in the department of Environmental and Occupational Health.  His research foci include ergonomics and the evaluation and control of heat stress and strain.  He has been at COPH since 1989.

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It’s been more than a week, and people are still talking about Super Bowl XLIX.  Regardless of which side of the debate you support, one thing is clear:  The USF College of Public Health hosts the best parties!  This one was a pre-game celebration held on Friday, Jan. 30.

UG instructor Laura Rusnak shows Rocky D. Bull some love.

Oh yeah, you know it’s a happening party when someone rolls up on a unicycle!

Party-goers enjoyed pizza, craft beer and talking smack with fellow Bulls.  They also entered a chance drawing for a tailgate basket sponsored by the HSC and USF Tampa Bookstores, USF Foundation and Dr. Tom Bernard.

Dr. Tom Bernard (left) congratulates Dr. Ira Richards on winning the tailgate basket.

“It’s been a few years since the college hosted a Super Bowl party, and the 30^th anniversary provided the perfect occasion to revive the tradition!” said Bernard, professor and chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health.

From left: Jessica Grossman, Anna Cable, Patricia Medina-Ramirez, Ramon Pineda and Ian Dollman enjoyed the Friday festivities.

One thing that was different from previous celebrations was the emphasis on student scholarships and the opportunity to give.  Attendees were invited to make a donation in support of COPH scholarships.  Even current students gave to the cause.

“Giving in the COPH is at 45%.  Only 6% more is needed to surpass this year’s goal!” said Kara Steiner, USF Health associate director of development.

Large and small gifts count the same in terms of moving the percentage upward.  “So, if you weren’t able to give a buck (or more) at the party, you can still do so by donating online,” Steiner said.

Story and photos by Natalie D. Preston, USF College of Public Health.

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