NIOSH Trainee in Industrial Hygiene Training Scholarship
NIOSH Trainee in Industrial Hygiene Training Program of the Central Appalachian Regional Education and Research Center
Industrial hygienists are scientists committed to protecting the health and safety of people in the workplace and the community. The industrial hygienist is part of a broader family of professionals often referred to collectively as the practice of occupational and environmental health and safety. Industrial hygienists earn the highest salaries in the Public Health field. Industrial hygienists and occupational health professionals are making an average annual salary of $110,807, the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) found in a 2019 survey of its members. The average salary for new, uncertified safety professionals right out of college or university is $59,714, AIHA reported.
The CARERC combines the academic resources of six colleges on the University of Kentucky (UK) campus, as well as two colleges from Eastern Kentucky University (EKU), to create a cohesive resource for occupational safety and health research and training.
NIOSH Trainee provides in-state tuition plus mandatory fees, except for health insurance, for up to 24 credit hours per academic year, and funding for travel including lodging and conference registration to attend the American Industrial Hygiene Association Annual Conference.
In order to be eligible to become a NIOSH trainee in Industrial Hygiene (IH) Training Program of the Central Appalachian Regional Education and Research Center (CARERC), you must:
- Fully admitted into the EKU MPH with a concentration in Environmental/Occupational Health and Sustainability
- Be a U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident
- Have as a career objective the field of industrial hygiene
- Be enrolled as a full time student except for summer semesters and your last semester
Once you have full acceptance into the MPH in Environmental/Occupational Health and Sustainability program and meet the eligibility requirements, fill out the interest form to be considered for a NIOSH trainee.
Once you have been granted acceptance as a NIOSH trainee in, you must meet the following requirements:
- Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0
- Attend the annual American Industrial Hygiene Conference & Expo (AIHce)
- Complete a co-op or internship (Applied Practice Experience or APEx course)
- Keep the program director informed as to your type of employment for five years after graduation
If you fulfill your participation obligations, you will receive a stipend in the Spring semester. Upon acceptance of the traineeship, you will be asked to sign a document in which you (1) agree to complete at least nine hours of coursework per fall and spring semester, unless it is your last semester of the program, (2) agree to participate in all program activities, (3) authorize EKU’s Office of Student Financial Assistance to process tuition and stipend benefits as financial aid awards that may impact your eligibility for other types of aid, including student loans, and (4) acknowledge that program benefits may be delayed as a result of a delay in EKU’s grant funding award.
Since the ERC budget is contingent upon availability of funding from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), student support is provided on a one-year basis, and varies from year to year. Therefore, we cannot make funding commitments beyond one year.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Brown, CIH, RS, DAAS at gary.brown@eku.edu or 859-539-2408.