Blazing a Trail for a Safer World

Each year, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health welcomes a new alumni class, culminating in over 10,000 trained graduates. Since 1967, each graduating class has established itself to support the school's mission of advancing public health for all. The School of Public Health welcomes its newest class of over 250 graduates from its five academic departments. 

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences

Master of Public Health student Spencer Chichester, a NIOSH trainee with the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health, is completing his degree with a focus in Industrial Hygiene. 

Supported by the School of Public Health, his research interests have directly aligned with one of the largest research centers at the school. Through this, Chichester has worked directly alongside faculty-experts in environmental and biosafety fields. Leveraging a partnership with the Houston Fire Department, he worked alongside a faculty-sponsored research project exploring exposure to reduce health risks to toxic metals during fire suppression activities. "These efforts directly impacted the health and safety of firefighters," Chichester said. This work, which has garnered national spotlights, fuels the mission of the center and school in crafting a safer world and workplace for all. 

Alongside his roles with the Southwest Center, he's served as treasurer for the Environmental and Occupational Student Association and a student member of the Institutional Biosafety Committee at UTHealth Houston. 

For his practicum project, a requirement for all students to complete before graduating, Chichester participated in the biosafety program at UTHealth Houston’s Office of Safety, Health, Environment, and Risk Management (SHERM). The office is responsible for ensuring that “education, research, and health care service activities take place in conditions that are optimally safe and healthy for all students, faculty, staff, visitors, surrounding community and the general public.” Under leadership expertise, he was able to design a study and methodology to validate the use of vaporized hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate biological agents.  

After graduation, Chichester will continue working for SHERM as a safety specialist in the radiation safety program. "This experience will further expand my horizons within the health and safety profession by allowing me to obtain training and experience in health physics," stated Chichester.