UTHealth SPH - Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health

SWCOEH faculty expertise extends far beyond campus walls - into local communities, policy discussions, and national research efforts.

Faculty member Shannon Guillot-Wright, PhD recently contributed as a moderator and reviewer for Proceedings from The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Workshop Series, "Gulf-Alaska Knowledge Exchange: Learning from the Legacy of Past Oil Spills." Sessions were held in Alaska, Louisiana, and Washington, DC and focused on challenges, successes, and future improvements during disaster recovery.

"The Gulf of Alaska and the Southern Gulf Coast have been the sites of the two worst oil spills in U.S. history... these spills had devastating impacts on the environment, human health, the local economy, the seafood industry, and local communities’ way of life. While the incidents differed in many ways, the response and recovery efforts both worked to restore the environment and help communities move on from their losses." To read more about this project, visit https://www.nationalacademies.org/publications/29176

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Dr. Guillot-Wright is Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, and Deputy Director of the Total Worker Health® Program at SWCOEH. Her research primarily focuses on occupational health equity, with an emphasis on health outcomes among low-income and immigrant workers. Dr. Guillot-Wright established and leads the Docside Clinic: Connecting Docs to Docks, which provides commercial fisherman and waterfront workers along the Gulf Coast with access to primary care, behavioral health care, and safety net social services.

We are proud to collaborate with faculty who are highly qualified experts, educators, and thought leaders in Occupational and Environmental Health.

Congratulations on this incredible feature, Dr. Guillot-Wright!

Last week, the Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences Department came together for a spirited afternoon of giving, games, and gratitude 🎁✨

This time of year always reminds us that it's not just about the important work we get to do, but also WHO we're doing it with.

On behalf of EOHS & SWOECH, wishing everyone a safe and joyful holiday season!

The Texas Physicians for Social Responsibility Web Series continues March 17.

"One Year of Climate Change and Child Health in Virginia."

Speaker: Samantha Ahdoot, MD, Virginia Clinicians for Climate Action

Register 👇

https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0037-0020-c590b3d6bab445199b2d240f03d4231c

Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences Research Seminar Series continues on Friday!

Topic: "Pathogen and F***l Indicator Persistence in Environmental Waters: Implications of Freshwater Salinization"

Speaker: Lauren Kennedy, UTEP - The University of Texas at El Paso

Register: https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0037-0020-3c142be631c84dadb8b2b3b3273d60f2

UTHealth Houston School of Public Health UTHealth Houston

Our latest Industrial Hygiene Seminar Series is set for March 27!

Topic: "Managing Occupational Risks: Welding Fumes, Hazards at Military Facilities, and Firefighting Foam Challenges"

Speakers:

Jerome Spear, CIH, CSP, FAIHA
Eduardo Artiga, CIH®, PMP®, CSP®
Michael Larrañaga, PE, CIH, FAIHA

Register 👇

https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0037-0020-8a8398827d274eb29611733aaf813fb1

UTHealth Houston School of Public Health UTHealth Houston

TODAY at 12 p.m. CT: EOHS Research Seminar Series

"Application of quantitative microbial risk assessment to minimize disease transmission in the built environment."

Speaker: Chuck Gerba, The University of Arizona

UTHealth Houston School of Public Health UTHealth Houston

Register 👇

https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0037-0020-5a5c043f941a4756a338bb1419faf15c

Texas Physicians for Social Responsibility Web Series continues on February 24 with "Unveiling PFAS: Understanding the 'Forever Chemicals' and Their Impact".

Register 👇

https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0037-0020-93bc0c8cdb03434cb0210426061e0363

EOHS Research Seminar Series returns Feb. 7 with "Application of quantitative microbial risk assessment to minimize disease transmission in the built environment."

Speaker: Chuck Gerba, The University of Arizona

Register 👇

https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0037-0020-5a5c043f941a4756a338bb1419faf15c

Faiyaz A. Bhojani, professor for the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, was elected Vice President of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

“It is such an honor for the UTHealth Houston School of Public Health and the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health to see Dr. Bhojani serve as the next Vice President of ACOEM,” Sarah Felknor, DrPH, professor and center director said. “This pre-eminent physician-led organization champions the health of workers, the safety of workplaces, and the quality of environments. His leadership will benefit not only ACOEM, but workers and workplaces across the country.”

Read: https://sph.uth.edu/research/centers/swcoeh/news/story?id=9f3efdb7-f803-4357-a39a-83b826c4e806

The Drs. Faiyaz Ali & Mariam Maribel Bhojani Visiting Scholars Endowment Lecture Series brings leading speakers to UTHealth Houston School of Public Health for impactful discussions of relevant topics within public health.

In December, the Bhojani Visiting Scholars Endowment Lecture Series hosted Alberto Caban-Martinez, PhD, DO, MPH of University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Dr. Caban-Martinez presented "Turning Up the Heat on Cancer: Insights from the National Firefighter Cancer Initiative". Caban-Martinez has over 10 years of domestic and international research expertise in environmental and occupational epidemiology.

More:

Turning Up the Heat on Cancer: Insights from the National Firefighter Cancer Initiative - news - Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health - UTHealth Houston School of Public Health In December, the Bhojani Visiting Scholars Endowment Lecture Series hosted Alberto Caban-Martinez, PhD, DO, MPH of the University of Miami. Dr. Caban-Martinez ...

Occupational Health Journal Club resumes on January 30.

Journal Article: "Outcomes for a Heat Illness Prevention Program in Outdoor Workers"

Speaker: Lukas Richards, MD, Occupational Medicine Resident, NIOSH Trainee, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health

The Occupational Health Journal Club provides an opportunity to discuss and debate recently published research. The goal is to promote optimal health and safety of workers, workplaces, and the environment by educating professionals, stimulating research, enhancing practice quality, guiding public policy, and advancing the field of occupational and environmental medicine. Articles are selected based on their usefulness to practitioners.

Learning objectives: At the end of each session, attendees will be able to interpret current research, apply an interdisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment, and outline relevant standards of care.

Register: https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0037-0020-7bc2a7aebb034c3098378983c579aa33

UTHealth Houston

Occupational and Environmental Medicine for Primary Care Physicians returns February 3-28, 2025. This 6-module course is
self paced and via Canvas.

The course will review the primary care provider's role in administrative and legal issues related to occupational and environmental health. PCPs may frequently encounter work-related health problems in the patient population. In addition, primary care providers may be called upon by small companies and businesses to serve as medical advisors. However, most PCPs have little or no formal background and/or training in occupational medicine.

Speakers: Brett Perkison, George Delclos and Arch "Chip" Carson

The OEM for PCPs course is also intended for medical resident trainees considering a specialty in family medicine or primary care medicine, and is designed to assist family medicine residency programs in fulfilling occupational medicine training requirements.

Register: https://reg.learningstream.com/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0037-0020-73a81b3c6d614896b2d006838e821c54

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