Take a minute to view our latest newsletter (snippit below) -- read / download here: Newsletter

On February 21, 2023, the AIHA Pittsburgh Section and the Slippery Rock University AIHA Student Section co-hosted the February AIHA Pittsburgh Section meeting with guest speaker Mr. Tom Blank at the Strain Safety Building. 

The Meeting was opened by AIHA Pittsburgh Section President-Elect Mr. Dane Micheson, CIH CSP, CHST, who welcomed the attendees and updated the group on upcoming AIHA Pittsburgh Section events.  

Mr. Tom Blank, CIH, CSP, FAIHA and EHS Consultant, gave the group excellent advice and guidance pertaining to successful job searches, resume writing and interviewing skills. This meeting also allowed the IH professionals in attendance to give the students great suggestions for success in their chosen career.  

The meeting also gave each group a chance to network before and after the presentation. The students got a chance to talk directly with Industrial Hygiene professionals in the field. 

After the session, Dr. Angela Bernardo and Dr. Rona Smeak, SRU AIHA Student Section Faculty Advisor gave the professionals a tour of the Strain Safety Building. Lunch was provided by the SRU Safety Department Chairperson Dr. Joseph Cali. 

The AIHA Pittsburgh Local Section has six committees that are chaired by a volunteer appointed by the chapter’s president or, in the case of the Program and Nominating committees, designated to an Executive Committee member:

• Audit
• Program
• Corporate Sponsorship
• Newsletter
• Nominating
• Historical

 
Currently, most of our committees are unfortunately committees of one. We would like to take this opportunity to encourage everyone to consider volunteering to lead or participate in a committee of interest.
 
Benefits of Committee Participation

• Provides an opportunity to become more involved with the LS and increase connections with your peers
• Limited time obligation with high impact on the success and future directions of the LS
• Enhanced understanding of LS operations and an ‘inside look’ into what serving in an executive committee position entail
• Allows individuals that are not National AIHA members a chance to serve in leadership roles outside of the Executive Committee

 
Our LS chapter and affiliated student chapters survive and thrive by the involvement of our members, so please do your best to stay active and contribute to the success of AIHA Pittsburgh. If you are interested in leading or participating in any of our committees, please reach out to the Executive Committee via email to [email protected].

​After a few years hiatus, the WVU section of AIHA is active again! The organization is officially recognized by both AIHA and WVU Student Engagement, allowing the student group to connect students with local OEHS professionals. In addition to industrial hygiene students, the club has seen interest from industrial engineering students and hopes to host networking and educational socials for students and community members from a variety of disciplines. The organization is led by Ryan Titus (President), Emily Smith (Vice President), Sada Wright (Secretary), Cole Cantor (Treasurer), and Dr. Sergio Caporali (Faculty Advisor). WVU AIHA hopes to see some of you at one of their events sometime soon!

Thank you, 
​Ryan Titus, Chapter President

The Pittsburgh AIHA is pleased to welcome new 2023 Corporate Sponsor, Atlas Technical Consultants!  Atlas provides professional testing, inspection, engineering, environmental and consulting services from more than 100 locations nationwide. We deliver solutions to both public and private sector clients in the transportation, commercial, water, government, education and industrial markets. With over 500 industrial hygienists, 22 Certified Industrial Hygienists and 12 Certified Safety Professionals, we are able to provide EHS solutions throughout the United States.

Welcome to the following employees of Atlas - also NEW members to the Pittsburgh AIHA:

Jarred Chase, CIH, CSP attended Gannon University in Erie, PA where he graduated with a BS in General Science in 2014 and a MS in Environmental Health and Engineering in 2016. After switching his major multiple times, he took an Environmental Toxicology class during his junior year that peaked his interest and helped propel him towards a career in EHS.  He has attained both the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) designations and hopes to continue to grow his knowledge in the field of Industrial Hygiene & Safety.
 
Chuck Kisamore, CSP attended Slippery Rock University where he graduated in 2015 with a BS in Safety Management.  Since graduation Chuck has worked in different remediation, demolition, and manufacturing settings giving him a wide range of experience and knowledge in the fields of safety and industrial hygiene.  Currently he holds the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) designation and is working towards his Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH). 

Registration is now open for the first joint Pittsburgh AIHA and Slippery Rock University (SRU) Student Chapter Event.  This is an in-person event at Slippery Rock University offering professionals a chance to network with the future professionals of our chapter:
​​

• Topic: Interview & Resume Skills - Marketing Yourself & Abilities Seminar with Tour of SRU Strain Safety Building
• Speaker: Thomas L. Blank, CIH, CSP, FAIHA - Senior Principal Technical Specialist Part-time - BWXT, LLC
• Date:  Tuesday, February 21, 2023, 11:45 AM Registration, 12:00-1:30 PM seminar, 1:30-2:00 PM Tour
• LUNCH - A light lunch buffet sponsored by SRU Safety Department will be provided. 
• ​Register ONLINE by Feb. 16:  2023-02-21 SRU-Pgh. AIHA Joint Mtg.

Our local section depends on its members to volunteer for positions on the executive committee.  Serving on the committee is a great way to become more involved in the local section, and you can claim certification maintenance (CM) credit toward your CIH.  We are currently asking for nominations for next year’s committee (serving July 2023 -June 2025):
​

• President-elect, 2-year term followed by President (must also be a member of National AIHA)
• Secretary, 2-year term (must also be a member of National AIHA)
• Director, 2-year term (need not be a member of National AIHA)

NOTE:  The American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH) allows you to claim certification maintenance (CM) credit annually for local section office:  local section President – 1 point; local section Officer or Director – 0.5 points.

If you would like to volunteer for elections or nominate someone, please contact Laura Allen or Christy Kirsch​ ASAP.  A short bio and statement of intent along with a photo are due by February 28, 2023.

The Pittsburgh AIHA is proud to once again sponsor student awards at the 84th Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair (PRSEF) which will celebrate another year of open competition of research projects in the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering in March. This competition is open to all students in grades 6-12 from the 21 counties within Western Pennsylvania and Garrett County, Maryland.

The Fair will be held at the Carnegie Science Center this year.  The Fair will be held over two days this year to allow for all student participation.  

Each year, the Pgh. AIHA sponsors two $500 awards - we need members to participate as judges.  As a judge, you will help to choose the recipients of our LS Awards.  To register to be a SPONSOR JUDGE, please go to www.STEMisphere.org/PRSEF.

The Science Fair has been a Pittsburgh tradition since 1940. It is also the third oldest science fair in the United States under the affiliation of Society for Science, which runs the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) and the Broadcom MASTERS middle school competition.

For more information, please visit pittsburghsciencefair.org or email [email protected].
Christie Orlosky, M.S.Ed.
Carnegie Science Center
STEM Competitions Coordinator
(412) 237-1534
[email protected]