Project Summary/AbstractThe purpose of the University of Arizonas (UA) Industrial Hygiene (IH) Program is to provide masters levelgraduate training in the core occupational safety and health area of IH. The Program began in 1978 and ishoused in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health (MEZCOPH). There are three tracks: MPH MSand PhD; NIOSH support is requested only for the masters degree programs. The Program is guided by 14 (11regular and three adjunct) faculty members and an Industrial Advisory Committee made up of OSH/IHprofessionals from the region. There are currently ten masters students and twelve doctoral students in theprogram. The purpose of this NIOSH Training Project Grant funding application is to financially support IHmasters students.A unique strength of the UA IH program is our focus on mining health and safety and relationship with the recentlyformed School of Mining and Mineral Resources (SMMR). Arizona and the Southwest have one of the richestendowments of copper and related commodities on the planet. The mineral resource development industry hasa long history of occupational exposures that lead to workplace injury and illness. Solving these problems andproviding a healthy and safe workplace is the role of the professional IH. The UA IH program is the only programof its kind in the Southwest so it must provide the bulk of the new IHs for the region. The master's programsrequire forty-two credit hours to graduate usually accomplished in two years. Comprehensive coursework isprovided in the key areas of IH including air monitoring theory and practice occupational safety physicalexposures toxicology and environmental health. Program graduates find employment as OSH professionals inindustry government and academia. With education obtained in the program and depending on their previousbackground they can expect to sit for the CIH and/or CSP exam early in their career.The program goals for the next budget period are: 1) to continue to provide MPH and MS level IH training toincrease the number of trained IHs with a particular focus on the Southwest; 2) to continue to provide trainingspecific to exposures in the mining industry with opportunities for student internships and research projects; 3)to maintain CEPH accreditation; 4) and to expand training internship and student research opportunities focusedon microbiological exposures. Diversity is a priority for the program and the University will continue to supportthis through its emphasis on diversity recruiting throughout the southwest.