Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health

SWCOEH alum Nicole Greeson (‘01) elected VP of American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)  

Houston (July 21, 2022) – Nicole Greeson, MS, CIH, a former NIOSH trainee in Industrial Hygiene (IH) at the Southwest Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (SWCOEH) and 2001 graduate of the UTHealth School of Public Health, was elected vice president of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA).  

“Being elected VP means that I can continue to serve the association whose mission I strongly support - empowering and advancing those who apply scientific knowledge to protect all workers and their communities from occupational and environmental hazards,” Greeson said. “By extension, I will be serving those in the occupational and environmental health and safety profession who are working to keep workers and their communities healthy and safe. Hopefully, I can do so in a meaningful and impactful way.”

Greeson is the director of the Occupational Hygiene and Safety Division of Duke University and Health System in Durham, NC. She holds fond memories of her time at UTHealth Houston and the SWCOEH.

“I have terrific memories of my outstanding professors, the research I conducted, and my fellow students, some of whom I have kept in touch with as colleagues in the years since graduating. My education and research prepared me well for a successful career. In particular, I would credit critical thinking and oral and written communication skills that were honed at UTHealth Houston as essential fundamentals.”

Greeson has risen through the ranks at the AIHA, most recently serving as 2020–2022 treasurer and 2019–2020 treasurer-elect. A member of AIHA since 2001, she has served on the Mentoring and Professional Development Committee—as chair, vice chair, and past chair during the years 2014 and 2017—and the Healthcare Working Group. She also chaired the Board of Directors of the American Board of Industrial Hygiene from 2014 to 2015.

“My favorite things about the AIHA are its community of professionals, its cutting-edge continuing education, and its many public resources such as those on disaster response, mold, and COVID-19. In my new role as VP and eventual role as President, I am looking forward to continuing to support the many beneficial initiatives that AIHA has underway, especially those related to the awareness of the occupational and environmental health and safety profession; the development and dissemination of educational, technical, and career resources. I also look forward to connecting with more members and those of allied professional organizations.”

The AIHA held its induction on May 25, during AIHA’s Annual Business Meeting in Nashville, TN, as part of the Association’s conference this year, AIHce EXP 2022. The Board of Directors candidates were recommended by AIHA’s Nominating Committee, from a pool of nominees put forward by the AIHA membership at large through a rigorous open call process.  

“I am grateful that my employer, Duke University, has supported my years of volunteer service to AIHA, including this four-year term as VP, President-elect, President, and Past President.”

The SWCOEH provides a variety of graduate-level training opportunities for occupational and environmental health professionals through our industrial hygiene, occupational and environmental medicine, occupational epidemiology, and Total Worker Health^®.