This proposed Training Program Grant will provide graduate training in the core occupational safety and health area of Industrial Hygiene, to assist NIOSH in meeting its goal of supplying qualified personnel to carry out the purposes of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. The University of Arizona has a long history of educating undergraduate and graduate students in the Industrial Hygiene profession, and the need for qualified Industrial Hygienists in Arizona and nationally is again on the increase. The continuation of a high quality Industrial Hygiene program in the Southwest helps to meet a strong demand for well-trained occupational health professionals in a region experiencing high growth. The Arizona program also serves an important function as a focal point for information, research, and professional development needs for the region's practicing professionals. This training grant will provide funds for stipends to attract and support highly qualified applicants. The purpose of the MPH degree is to prepare students for Industrial Hygiene careers involving professional practice and/or research. Specialized training in the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of industrial health hazards is emphasized in a common core of required Industrial Hygiene graduate courses. A summer internship is required for MPH students, culminating with an internship report and a presentation to peers and the public. Graduate requirements also include the preparation and defense of a research technical report, which prepares students for ensuring the scientific merit of their work in the field of Industrial Hygiene. Given the national and global need for Industrial Hygienists with experience in mining and our extensive partnership with the Department of Mining and Geological Engineering at the University of Arizona, our program will have a special focus on mining health and safety, in addition to our standard Industrial Hygiene curriculum. Our Industrial Hygiene trainees will have opportunities to take specialized courses in mining health and safety and to measure and help control exposures within the University of Arizona San Xavier underground mine as part of their regular Industrial Hygiene coursework. They will also be offered research opportunities at the San Xavier mine as well as research and internship opportunities with mining companies located in and outside Arizona.
