New Orleans, Louisiana
Preconference Courses & Workshops Compared with the 2022 AEC, nearly twice as many attendees participated in the 12 preconference courses and work- shops that we offered at the 2023 AEC on July 29–31. Overall, 450 attendees par- ticipated in these preconference events. We continued the tradition of host- ňŪĺ ñ ǏñƛňğƯǖ ŵĹ ĎğŪğȌĐňñş ƘƛğĐŵŪĹğƛğŪĐğ offerings. The REHS/RS Review Course prepared 23 attendees for the REHS/RS exam and the CP-FS Review Course pre- pared 11 individuals for the CP-FS exam. ƘƘƛŵǕňŨñƯğşǖ̔̐ şğñėğƛƣ ĹƛŵŨ ŵƷƛ ñĹȌşňͨ ates gathered at their annual preconfer- ence workshop to learn and collaborate on predominant environmental health con- cerns such as advocating for the profession, developing policy statements, supporting the workforce, and partnering on our envi- ronmental health outreach campaign. We continued to offer several work- ƣłŵƘƣňŪ̒̐̒̓ ƯłñƯƘƛŵǏňėğėƣƘğĐňȌĐƯƛñňŪͨ
Student Activities Approximately 100 students attended the 2023 AEC, either in person or virtually. This attendance is encouraging as stu- dents continue to be an important part of our community. Based on feedback from previous student attendees and to recog- nize this key group of attendees, we part- nered with the National Environmental Public Health Internship Program to hold a Student Welcome Reception on the eve- ning of Tuesday, August 1. The event was held at Fulton Alley, a bowling alley adja- cent to the conference center. The students were welcomed by Presi- dent Dr. D. Gary Brown. The lively net- working event offered students the oppor- tunity to connect with our leadership and get acquainted with the programs and services we offer for the next generation of environmental health professionals at the AEC and throughout the year. With bowling, music, and great conversation, students were able to set themselves up for success at the AEC and beyond. We also showcased the research and work of our student attendees at the 2023 AEC. More than 20 student posters were displayed at the in-person Exhibit Hall and 8 posters were displayed in the virtual Poster Hall. Student poster presenters provided insight into the latest research on a variety of topics including rural pri- vate well testing, foodborne disease miti- gation, and diversity in the workforce.
ing to targeted groups of attendees. More than one dozen attendees participated in hands-on equipment demonstrations and learned about the fundamentals of body art facility inspection in the Body Art Facility Inspector Training. The Envi- ronmental Health and Land Reuse Cer- ƯňȌĐñƯğ £ƛŵĺƛñŨ ÚŵƛśƣłŵƘ ğǕƘşŵƛğė Ưłğ environmental and health risks and social disparities associated with contaminated land properties, key players in land reuse planning and policy, and redevelopment techniques to improve community health. Our Private Water Network held the Building Capacity Through Partnership and Collaboration for Safer Private Wells Workshop, which explored resources and challenges associated with well-water testing. Also, the second cohort of our Environmental Health Leadership Acad- emy met to share their leadership proj- ects and to recognize their completion of the program. As in previous years, we leveraged our partnerships to provide crucial training to preconference attendees. We once again partnered with ecoAmerica to hold the always popular one-half-day Climate for Health Ambassador Training. Approxi- mately 50 participants were equipped with knowledge, hands-on experience, ñŪėƛğƣŵƷƛĐğƣƯŵƣƘğñśñŪėñĐƯĐŵŪȌėğŪƯşǖ on climate change and related solutions. Following the Ambassador Training, Cli- mate for Health hosted a new Ambassa-
dor Debrief where nearly 50 participants reviewed opportunities for engagement on climate change and were able to network with peers committed to climate action. We also partnered with the Food and Drug Administration to offer the National Retail Food Regulatory Program Stan- ėñƛėƣ ®ğşĹͨ ƣƣğƣƣŨğŪƯ ñŪė ÙğƛňȌĐñƯňŵŪ Audit Workshop. The attendees of this workshop were given an overview of the criteria for the Program Standards and had hands-on opportunities to conduct a ƣğşĹͨ ñƣƣğƣƣŨğŪƯŵƛǏğƛňȌĐñƯňŵŪñƷėňƯ͒ uğǐ in 2023, we partnered with the Council for the Model Aquatic Health Code to provide Ưłğ ğƛƯňȌğė£ƷĎşňĐPğñşƯł£ŵŵşUŪƣƘğĐƯŵƛ training to nine individuals who left the ƘňşŵƯ ƯƛñňŪňŪĺ ĐŵŪȌėğŪƯ Ưŵ ňŪƣƘğĐƯ ĐŵŨͨ mercial pools. Our past presidents provided their insight in two new preconference work- shops. More than 50 attendees of the ŵŨŨƷŪňĐñƯňŵŪ͔ UŪȍƷğŪĐňŪĺ UŪƣƘğĐƯňŵŪ Outcomes Workshop learned the value of effective communication to garner posi- tive inspection outcomes. The Tools for Working Better, Smarter, Cheaper as You Utilize Data and Planning to Ensure Envi- ronmental Health Program Success: A Workshop for Current and Aspiring Envi- ronmental Health Leaders equipped over 50 participants with the tools, resources, and knowledge needed to effectively use data to achieve program goals.
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November 2023 • our4(l o- 4;0ro4me49(l e(l9/
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