(Provided by Committee): This application is for five years of support for the Industrial Hygiene program at the University of Massachusetts Lowell; proposed dates for support are 7/1/05 through 6/30/10. Support is sought for the masters program and for the PhD program. The IH program at University Massachusetts at Lowell (UMass Lowell) is in the Department of Work Environment, which recently moved from the College of Engineering to the new School of Health and Environment. ? ? Graduate programs in IH at UMass Lowell have been in place for many years. The program is integrated with three other graduate programs in the same School, which together comprise the components of the UMass Lowell program. These other components are occupational ergonomics/safety, occupational epidemiology, and work environment policy. The ERC is directed by Dr. Michael Ellenbecker, who is also the head of the IH program. The program is certified by ABET. ? ? Masters students in the IH program take a core of five academic courses that is common to all four ERC programs. In addition to their academic content, these core courses provide the opportunity for interdisciplinary contact among the students in each ERC specialty area. In addition to their core courses, IH students take seven additional courses that cover essentials of the IH field and are described as """"""""The Industrial Hygiene Nucleus"""""""". Three more courses of electives complete the masters program. In all, the core and nucleus courses provide effective coverage of the IH field in the general context of public health and the work environment, yet leave open time for electives in which students can pursue topics of individual interest. Masters students who want to develop their careers in the direction of research can take a six-credit thesis option or a three-credit research project option, whereas those who plan to go into industry can take a capstone course as an alternative. By choosing electives carefully, IH students can obtain a joint degree in IH and Ergonomics. ? ? The doctoral program involves 24 to 30 hours of graduate credits beyond the masters degree. Doctoral students take a written and an oral qualifying exam, are supervised by an advisor and a committee, and present their findings at a formal thesis defense. Procedures for completion of this degree are well established. ? ? In 2003-2004, enrollment in the masters degree IH program was 13 full-time and six part-time students; enrollment in the PhD IH program was eight full-time and seven part-time students. The program graduated six masters' students and one PhD student that year. Enrollment was expected to be similar in academic year 2004-2005. According to data presented in the application, the number of IH graduates produced in the New England region served by UMass Lowell is substantially less than the number of IH professionals needed in the region. Program graduates find jobs in the region without difficulty. ? ? The IH faculty members at UMass Lowell include Dr. Michael Ellenbecker, Dr. Rafael Moure-Eraso, Dr. Margaret Quinn, and Dr. Susan Woskie. All are full professors and all are CIHs. The faculty are all active in research, with funded projects and good publication records. ? ?
| DeVries, Rebecca; Kriebel, David; Sama, Susan (2017) Outdoor Air Pollution and COPD-Related Emergency Department Visits, Hospital Admissions, and Mortality: A Meta-Analysis. COPD 14:113-121 |
| DeVries, Rebecca; Kriebel, David; Sama, Susan (2016) Low level air pollution and exacerbation of existing copd: a case crossover analysis. Environ Health 15:98 |
| DeVries, Rebecca; Kriebel, David; Sama, Susan (2016) Validation of the breathlessness, cough and sputum scale to predict COPD exacerbation. NPJ Prim Care Respir Med 26:16083 |
