# The Environmental and Occupational Health Science Program at Western Kentucky University

> **NIH ALLCDC T03** · WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $179,862

## Abstract

Project Summary
 Western Kentucky University offers undergraduate (B.S.) and graduate (M.S.) Environmental and
Occupational Health Science (EOHS) Programs that are driven by the shortage of trained occupational safety
and health (OSH) and environmental health and safety (EHS) professionals, in underserved regions of
Kentucky, that will advance worker safety and health. These programs have dedicated regional support
through the EOHS Advisory Board, industries, agencies, first responders, municipalities, schools, colleges,
universities, and communities. The success rate of graduates from each program, the inclusion of
underrepresented trainees, as well as the accreditation of the graduate program by the National Environmental
Health Science and Protection Accreditation Council, has established the credibility of the institution to offer
each curriculum. Both the undergraduate and graduate EOHS Programs are supported by the National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) through a Training Project Grant (TPG). A critical need in
the region is to create a more diverse EOHS workforce, especially in underserved rural areas. Continuance of
the WKU NIOSH TPG will assist in meeting this need and provide opportunities for innovative educational
strategies relevant to contemporary work exposures, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent tornado
disaster in Kentucky.
 The EOHS Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and Master of Science (M.S.) degree programs at WKU are
comprehensive Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs built on education in
basic and applied sciences, and specialized training in anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of
workplace factors that may affect the health, well-being, and productivity of workers and the public. The overall
educational objective is a multidisciplinary approach that provides students a comprehensive understanding of
the chemical, biological, physical, and social factors or stressors in the occupational and natural environments
that impact public health outcomes.
 Specifically, the NIOSH TPG will provide tuition scholarships and stipends, training opportunities through
NIOSH ERCs, webinars, conferences, and development and delivery of a series of workshops to train six (6)
undergraduate students and seven (7) graduate students, at minimum each project annum. Continued support
of the WKU EOHS Programs will ensure opportunities and training that will promote expertise in the OSH,
EHS, and associated fields in rural and underserved communities in Kentucky, and throughout the region.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10542525
- **Project number:** 2T03OH010637-09
- **Recipient organization:** WESTERN KENTUCKY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Ritchie Don Taylor
- **Activity code:** T03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $179,862
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2022-07-01 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10542525

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10542525, The Environmental and Occupational Health Science Program at Western Kentucky University (2T03OH010637-09). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10542525. Licensed CC0.

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