NEHA 2024 AEC Wrap-Up
Awards & Scholarships
We were proud to bestow several national awards and scholarships that represent outstanding individuals, programs, and groups throughout the country in 2024. From leaders working on diversity efforts to some of the most recognized names in our professional community, the recipients this year illustrate the dedication and self- lessness of the professionals in our field. The recipients of these awards and scholarships were honored at the AEC during the Breakfast & Town Hall Assembly or the Awards Celebration on Wednesday, July 17. For more information about NEHA’s awards, please visit www. neha.org/awards. AEHAP Student Research Competition Winners For more than 20 years, the Association of Environmental Health Academic Pro- grams (AEHAP) has sponsored the Stu - dent Research Competition. Students from schools with environmental health programs that are AEHAP members enter research projects to compete for monetary and travel awards to attend and present at the AEC. Undergraduate: 1st Place Winner Alexis Boehm University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire Project: Ventilation and Portable Air Filtration Impact on Childhood Respira- tory Disease Graduate: 1st Place Winner John William Murray East Carolina University Project: Novel Testing of Insecticides Against Mosquitoes Davis Calvin Wagner Sanitarian Award CAPT Justin Gerding, MPH, DHA, CPH, REHS, DAAS This award represents the highest honor the American Academy of Sanitarians (AAS) bestows on one of its diplomates. Dr. Bailus Walker, Jr. Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Award LCDR Sarah Hughes, MPH, REHS/RS, DAAS, CESM NEHA annually gives this award to recog- nize an individual or group who has made
significant achievements in developing or enhancing a more culturally diverse, inclu- sive, and competent environment in their organizations and communities. LCDR Sarah Hughes was named the recipient of this year’s award. LCDR Hughes makes tangible impacts to diversity and inclu- sion through her consistent efforts to pro- mote and improve the health and safety of diverse populations. Her actions embody the values of Dr. Bailus Walker, Jr., enhanc- ing public health for many populations. LCDR Hughes is a research health sci- entist with CDC/NIOSH. She demonstrates her commitment to diversity and inclu- sion through her collateral involvement in numerous initiatives within these agen- cies. She has served on multiple USPHS Commissioned Corps Chartered Advi- sory Group committees and was recently selected to serve as a voting member for the new Climate Action, Readiness, and Equity (CARE) Surgeon General’s Advisory Group, shaping its future initiatives in the realms of climate change and health equity. LCDR Hughes has also been committed to community service work since 2015 and she demonstrates consciousness of diversity through interactions and inter- personal relationships with youth in vari- ous initiatives. NEHA President Tom Butts (left) proudly presents our Dr. Bailus Walker, Jr. Diversity and Inclusion Awareness Award to LCDR Sarah Hughes (right).
Staff from Columbus Public Health were in attendance to receive our Beck Educational Contribution Award.
ment of environmental health profession- als. The Environmental Health Division of Columbus Public Health was selected as the winner of this year’s award. As environmental health departments face the difficult hiring landscape, the job of staff recruitment, hiring, and retention must be more strategic. To address these issues, the Environmental Health Division created a professional development pro- gram to train environmental health spe- cialists in all areas of environmental health, allowing these professionals to build skills and have exposure to a variety programs. The division provides training across every environmental health program, which allows environmental health special- ists to advance their knowledge, be more well-rounded, and feel more included. This 12–18-month program is based on the need for both theoretical and practi- cal application of environmental health. By having staff trained in all environmental health programs, the educational program enables the organization to regionalize work areas, reduce travel time, and develop staff for backup roles to reduce burnout and equalize overtime hours. NEHA/AAS Scholarships Both NEHA and AAS believe that struc- tured education at the undergraduate and graduate levels is important to an individ- ual’s successful professional development in the environmental health field and that continuing education is a vital compo- nent in the continued career growth of environmental health professionals. We were able to give out $16,800 in schol - arships thanks to the generous donations
Joe Beck Educational Contribution Award Environmental Health Division, Columbus Public Health
NEHA annually gives this award to rec- ognize an individual or team for an edu- cational contribution designed for the advancement and professional develop-
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Volume 87 • Number 4
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