The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health is designated as one of the 18 Education and Research Centers (ERCs) funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Currently, graduate students enrolled in the industrial hygiene and ergonomics specialty areas at Berkeley and the occupational and environmental health nursing program and the occupational medicine residency at San Francisco are eligible for NIOSH traineeships which pay tuition, fees, and a modest stipend that varies each year according to availability of funding and the number of occupational health trainees enrolled in the funded programs.
To inquire further about financial support opportunities, contact a faculty member or the administrative office for the program in which you are interested.
Overview
Student Grants & Writing Awards
Currently, graduate students enrolled in the industrial hygiene and ergonomics specialty areas at Berkeley, Agricultural Safety and Health at UC Davis, the occupational and environmental health nursing program, the occupational medicine health nursing program, and the occupational medicine residency at San Francisco, are eligible for NIOSH traineeships which pay tuition, fees, and a modest stipend that varies each year according to availability of funding and the number of occupational health trainees enrolled in the funded programs. The Northern California ERC gratefully acknowledges its support from NIOSH.
Unless otherwise stated, the following writing and research awards are available to graduate students enrolled in a COEH Academic Program.
For more information or help with the application process, please contact COEH at coehce@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail).
Health Equity in the Workplace Research Award
Bi-Annual Award: Up to $5,000 for a Student Project, recognition in the COEH newsletter, and presention at the COEH Fall Gathering.
Notice of Award: Friday, February 2, 2024 at the COEH Builds Bridges / Lela Morris Symposium in Berkeley, CA
Workplace health is public health. This research to practice award is designed to highlight the role of work as a social determinant of health, and to support research and drive action to improve health outcomes in cooperation with vulnerable or marginalized populations.
Projects can include, but are not limited to: qualitative and quantitative needs assessments and structured interviews, documenting the impact of health and safety hazards, developing proactive practices and policy solutions, unpaid research/internships with a non-profit and/or community organization, designing/delivering a community intervention, or evaluating the effectiveness of interventions.
The purpose of this award is to encourage students to think creatively about how to advance workplace equity, build the capacity of workers and community groups to take action, and enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and communication skills. This award is offered by the Northern California Center for Occupational and Environmental Health Continuing Education Program.
Expected Outcomes
The award recipient will be expected to author a final report, and to present your research/project at COEH's Increasing Diversity in Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety Symposium and via a one-hour, online webinar.
Eligibility
Funding is available for matriculated public health students at UCB, UCD, and UCSF. Student stipends can be used for equipment, supplies, and participant compensation. University overhead, mentor support, or tuition support are ineligible expenses.
Allowable Expenses
The award may apply to stand-alone or bigger project support. Project costs may include equipment, supplies, and travel. This award may not be used for faculty / mentor support, tuition payment, or university overhead.
Review Criteria
Research projects will be judged on scientific merit. Teaching, service, community intervention, and policy projects will be judged on their impact on the target audience.
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted via Google Form. Applicants will need to prepare the following materials to apply:
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Background (3 paragraphs - write the problem statement(link is external))
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Research Aims (1-3 research objectives/aims(link is external))
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Methods (2 paragraphs - describe your research approach)(link is external)
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Personal Reflection (How will this research support your personal development?)
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EHS Affiliation (Identify an Eligible Academic Program or Mentor)
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Reference List (Names, Titles, Relationship, and Emails for 2-4 Professional / Academic references)
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Timeline and Milestones (Provide an overview of proposed research timeline prepared with dated bullet points)
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Budget + Budget Justification (How will you plan to spend the $5000 and why these expenses are necessary)
Applications are due by Friday, January 19, 2024
Apply Now!
Targeted Research Training (TRT) Grant
Program Director: Sadie Costello, PhD
The Targeted Research Training Fellowships are intended to promote interdisciplinary research training in occupational health and safety. The application process is competitive, but trainees receive a contribution to their research costs, as well as a stipend for living expenses and in-state tuition and fees. They are expected to attend a monthly training seminar which alternates between sessions where they discuss their research progress and any problems experienced and sessions involving practical research training, of a type not usually received during academic classes. Before applying to the TRT, applicants should be accepted into their program by one of the other ERC Program Directors.
TRT Engagement Options
Trainees may:
1) Sign up to take the seminars for 1 unit of Independent Research
-OR-
2) Apply for the fellowship (which includes the seminars)
Fellowship:
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Participation in the seminars (if a seminar is a repeat experience, the requirement to participate can be waived with prior approval from Dr. Costello)
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Participation in a small, interdisciplinary, group of trainees who will meet every month with Dr. Costello to discuss research progress, potential collaborations, and practice oral presentations. Groups will be in-person (if feasible and safe). Schedule will be set based on participant availability.
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Additional one-on-one mentoring meetings with Dr. Costello are also available, regularly, or ad hoc, depending on student needs. Mentoring meetings can be in-person or virtual.
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Subject to a satisfactory proposal, including a budget and budget justification, administrative research funds up to $2,000 [Note: the research funds are available only for first-time TRT awardees, not applicants awarded subsequent years of TRT funding].
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A partial stipend to cover living expenses based on NIH guidelines and/or partial or full in-state tuition and fees. Stipend, tuition and fees will be awarded based on needs, other types of income (i.e. GSI etc.) and availability of funds.
Seminars:
Participation in monthly seminars from guest speakers on a range of occupational health research topics. Seminars will be at 10am on the first Friday of the month. Seminars will be a mix of in-person (if feasible and safe) and virtual to accommodate out-of-town guest speakers and trainees who can not travel to UC Berkeley for the seminars. PH298 credit available (1 unit per semester).
Potential topics include:
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Introduction to applying to NIH grants Manuscript writing tips and tricks
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Communicating scientific results (research-to-practice)
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How to navigate the IRB application process
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Scientific conferences: selecting, submitting, and presenting
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Submitting your manuscript: impact factors, formatting & cover letters
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An intuitive approach to statistical power and sample size calculations
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Collaborating with community partners for public health research Managing research projects overseas
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Basic principles of qualitative research Introduction to the use of Qualtrics survey software
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Questionnaire design Data management and data cleaning
Eligibility
Graduate students in the School of Public Health, UC Berkeley (UCB), and Schools of Medicine and Nursing, the UC San Francisco (UCSF), and UC Davis (UCD) may apply for TRT Research Fellowships. These opportunities are funded by an award from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Northern California Education and Research Center (NorCal ERC), and are intended to promote interdisciplinary research training in occupational health and safety.
Participation in the seminar series and application to the fellowship is available to all applicants who are accepted into or accepted as being eligible for, one of the NorCal ERC programs by the Director of that program. Preference for the fellowship will be given to doctoral students and medical residents who are part of the Northern California COEH NIOSH ERC Training Programs.
Program Directors:
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Occupational Epidemiology—Prof. Ellen Eisen (UCB)
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Occupational and Environmental Medicine—Prof. Paul Blanc (UCSF)
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Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing—Prof. OiSaeng Hong (UCSF)
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Industrial Hygiene—Prof. Katharine Hammond (UCB)
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Ergonomics—Prof. Carisa Harris-Adamson (UCB)
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Agricultural Safety & Health - Prof. Fadi Fathallah (UCD)
How to Apply
Complete Targeted Research Training in Occupational Health (TRT) Application Form and email as a single .pdf file to Dr. Sadie Costello (sadie@berkeley.edu(link sends e-mail)).
Applications are due by TBD 2024
TRT Application Form Coming Soon
M. Donald Whorton Writing Award
In honor of Dr. M. Donald Whorton
Annual Award: $500.00, recognition in the COEH newsletter, and presention at the COEH Fall Gathering.
Notice of Award: Friday, February 2, 2024 at the COEH Builds Bridges / Lela Morris Symposium in Berkeley, CA
Don Whorton was an internationally-recognized occupational health physician and workplace epidemiologist, with long ties to COEH. He graduated with honors from the University of New Mexico School of Medicine's first graduating class in 1968 and went on to receive his masters degree in public health with a focus in environmental medicine from Johns Hopkins University. He completed his internship in internal medicine at Harvard Service Boston City Hospital and his residency in internal medicine at Baltimore City Hospital. He was board certified in occupational and internal medicine, an elected member of the National Academy of Science Institute of Medicine, and a Fellow of the American College of Epidemiology and the American College of Occupational & Environmental Medicine.
Don Whorton advanced the field of occupational medicine through epidemiological studies that led to a greater understanding of workplace exposure. Notably, he discovered the link between workplace exposure to the nematocide DBCP and male infertility. He was the founding director of the COEH’s Labor Occupational Health Program (LOHP) at U.C. Berkeley, where he worked until he went into private consulting in 1978. Don continued his involvement with COEH, through teaching and serving on the COEH Advisory committee.
Don continued his important work in occupational and environmental health until his death in 2008.
The M. Donald Whorton Writing Award is offered by the Northern California Center for Occupational and Environmental Health. The award program strives to honor the late Dr. Whorton by encouraging and recognizing important new voices in occupational and environmental research.
Review Criteria:
The paper will be evaluated by a review panel designated by COEH. The papers will be judged based on the following criteria:
A. Addresses a significant issue/problem in the field of occupational and environmental health (20 points)
The significance should be illustrated by one or more of the following:
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Originality
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Public health significance
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Severity of the hazard addressed
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Contribution to understanding and addressing health disparities
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Sheds light on an under appreciated problem or emerging issue in occupational or environmental health
B. Strength of findings (30 points)
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Quality of research design or approach
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Quality of data
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Quality of interpretation of results
C. Analysis by author makes a significant contribution to the field of occupational and environmental health, indicated by at least one of the following: (25 points)
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Provides new insights
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Suggests new strategies for prevention of occupational and environmental injuries, illnesses, and/or hazardous exposures
D. Quality of writing (25 points)
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Well-organized
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Use of clear, concise writing style
Eligibility
NIOSH ERC Trainees, UC Berkeley EHS students, and recent alumni (within two years of graduation) from any of the COEH-affiliated programs are eligible to submit a manuscript for consideration for the M. Don Whorton Writing Award. Papers may be co-authored; however the student/alumnus must be first or senior author. To be considered, papers must be recently published or accepted for publication.
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted via Google Form. Applicants will need to prepare the following materials to apply:
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Title, name of author(s) and author contact information
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Both self-nominations and nominations by others will be accepted.
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An electronic copy of the paper must be attached.
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COEH Affiliation - Identify Eligible COEH Faculty Advisor / Mentor
Applications are due by Friday, January 19, 2024
Apply Now!
Llewellyn Student Project Award
Annual Award: Up to $5,000 for a Student Project, recognition in the COEH newsletter, and presention at the COEH Fall Gathering.
Notice of Award: Friday, February 2, 2024 at the COEH Builds Bridges / Lela Morris Symposium in Berkeley, CA
The Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH) invites applications from UCB and UCSF graduate students and medical residents wishing to conduct a multidisciplinary research project in occupational or environmental health. Teaching, service, community intervention, and policy projects will also be considered. The purpose is to encourage students to work in teams with students from other disciplines in order to better address real-world problems.
Eligibility
Any currently enrolled COEH Program student, resident, or trainee working on an OEHS (occupational/environmental health & safety) or vulnerable population project. One of the students’ faculty advisors must be affiliated with COEH. Students are expected to meet with their faculty advisors on a regular basis to obtain input and keep them informed of their progress. Faculty advisors are expected to actively mentor the project and approve the final report.
Allowable Expenses
The award may apply to stand-alone or bigger project support. Project costs may include equipment, supplies, and travel. This award may not be used for faculty / mentor support, tuition payment, or university overhead.
Review Criteria
Research projects will be judged on scientific merit. Teaching, service, community intervention, and policy projects will be judged on their impact on the target audience.
How to Apply
Applications will be accepted via Google Form. Applicants will need to prepare the following materials to apply:
-
Background (3 paragraphs - write the problem statement(link is external))
-
Research Aims (1-3 research objectives/aims(link is external))
-
Methods (2 paragraphs - describe your research approach)(link is external)
-
Personal Reflection (How will this support your learning and development as a student?)
-
COEH Affiliation (Identify Eligible COEH Faculty Advisor / Mentor)
-
Reference List (Names, Titles, Relationship, and Emails for 2-4 Professional / Academic references)
-
Timeline and Milestones (Provide an overview of proposed research timeline prepared with dated bullet points)
-
Budget + Budget Justification (How will you plan to spend the $5000 and why these expenses are necessary)