Becoming a UC Berkeley COEH Community Partner
The Northern California Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH) at the UC Berkeley School of Public Health is looking for collaboration partners to shape the future of workplace health & safety.
COEH’s mission is to prepare the next generation of occupational health and safety professionals - including industrial hygienists, ergonomists, occupational health nurses, and physicians - who will work with and consult for organizations like yours to keep workers healthy and safe, while keeping your company productive.
One of the best ways for our students to bridge classroom learning with real-world application is through direct engagement with local businesses.
By becoming a COEH community partner, your organization can:
- Host a facility tour highlighting work in your industry
- Collaborate on a short-term technical project
- Bring on a summer intern for an immersive learning experience
These activities not only enrich our students’ learning but also provide your organization with fresh perspectives and practical, research-informed recommendations, at no cost to you.
Facility Tours
Rainin (Oakland)
Previous Facility Tour (SF Ports)
Previous Facility Tour (SF Ports)
Previous Facility Tour (SF Ports)
If you are interested in becoming a COEH community partner
Click the QR Code or this link:
Facility and Workplace Tour
The group size for the field trip would be about 7-12 people. On these field trips, we like the students to tour different types of industrial work environments and to observe industrial work of all types.
The main thing that we ask is that students are able to observe people working.
We normally aim for a 1-2 hour on-site experience. We ask that the host/tour guide introduce the company and explain the industry and different processes or jobs that are involved and be open to answering questions about the work or the applicable EHS programs.
The students are from IH, ergonomics, EHS, occupational medicine (nurses and physicians), and we would like them to all learn about all aspects, not just the specialization they are studying. We encourage them to identify and learn about the chemical, biological, physical/ergonomic, and/or safety hazards associated with the jobs.
Following the tour, we provide lunch for a group discussion to ask questions, summarize observations, and brainstorm future project ideas - we can identify possible projects for students to work on with you during the Spring or Fall semester (if you wish to take advantage of that opportunity).
Timeline:
Fall semester tour is scheduled for early-mid September, usually from 10am-12pm, followed by a lunch discussion from 12-1pm
Spring semester tour is scheduled for early-mid February, usually from 10am-12pm, followed by a lunch discussion from 12-1pm
Technical Project Collaboration
If you have an industrial hygiene or ergonomics project that you would like to collaborate on, this program provides that support for you! 1-2 grad students, mentored by UC Berkeley faculty and staff, will partner with you to conduct hazard assessments with mitigation recommendations.
The project timeline aligns with UC Berkeley Fall or Spring semesters, as detailed below.
Fall Timeline:
August 1 – deadline for your project request submissions
September 15 – students assigned to your project
October 1 – onsite student visits begin to your facility
December 30 – project report/presentation submitted to you
SPRING Timeline:
December 15 – deadline for your project request submissions
February 10 – students assigned to your project
March 1 – onsite student visits begin to your facility
May 30 – project report/presentation submitted to you
Summer Internship
Graduate students available for internships within your organization. Our students are training to be industrial hygienists, ergonomists, occupational health nurses, and physicians; so these opportunities not only benefit your organization by supplementing your existing teams, but they also provide a rich learning environment for students and establish valuable relationships and future employment opportunities with industry.
All graduate students are placed in an 8-week summer internship in local companies of various industries as part of their field experience. Interns are mentored by UC Berkeley, UCSF or UC Davis faculty and staff. Internships during other semesters (one day per week during a Fall or Spring semester) can also be arranged.
Summer Internship Endowment Fund
As an alternative to hosting a student intern within your organization, you may consider donating to the Internship Endowment Fund. This fund supports summer learning experiences for students who are training to be industrial hygienists, ergonomists, occupational health nurses, and physicians. Students attend occupational health learning events and complete projects related to ongoing research within our centers. Students are mentored by our faculty, staff and graduate students.
Timeline:
February 15 – deadline for submitting internship description (or financial gift)
End of May to early/mid August – Internship timeframe (8 weeks)