To an Educational and Exciting 2016 - Happy New Year!

Since each new year is supposed to bring a time of reflection and hope, I'm taking a look back at 2015 and making plans for 2016.

In 2015 I learned many interesting new things:

• I learned how to make and post a laboratory safety video featuring my Sock Puppet Safety team on YouTube, which won 3rd place at AIHce 2015's IH Fundance video competition.
• I learned what an exposome is.
• I facilitated a key issue roundtable on chemical disinfectants in healthcare facilities at Safety 2015 by the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) in Dallas, TX.
• In preparation for the key issue roundtable at Safety 2015, I co-authored a research article for the ASSE Industrial Hygiene Practice Specialty's web-based publication, The Monitor. 
• I learned a variety of new things at Safety 2015 in Dallas, and brought Piper Pangolin from Sock Puppet Safety to chronicle the adventure. 
• I researched occupational and environmental internships for graduate students.
• I learned about preventing Code Pink incidents in healthcare facilities.
• I figured out approximately how many hours of continuing education I complete every year, to maintain my various certifications.
• I found more spiffy spoggles to add to my collection of PPE. 

To commemorate the past year and embark on a new adventure, please enjoy this view of Camelback Mountain in Phoenix with the Industrious Hygienist and her fearless Alaskan Malamute, Shadow.

Happy New Year (2016) from The Industrious Hygienist!

In 2016 I am hoping to learn more about the following things:

• I'm studying for the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) exam and hope to take the exam in the first quarter of 2016.
• I'm co-authoring a technical paper and presentation on gender equity in occupational safety and health programs, to be presented at #Safety2016 in Atlanta, GA with Dr. Ilise Feitshans.
• I'm planning to apply to a doctoral program in safety, industrial hygiene, global health, or environmental health and will chronicle the experience.
• I'm researching where safety is "housed" within healthcare facilities across the U.S., to evaluate best practices and to assess how many safety professionals are needed based on the size and complexity of the facility.
• I'm working on more Sock Puppet Safety videos about chemical hygiene plans, incidental spill response, and will bring Piper Pangolin to #Safety2016.

I hope you continue to enjoy this blog, the art, and the nerdy safety videos.