ISSUE 29, MAY 2026

FROM THE CLASSROOM TO THE FIELD

Discover a Career Defined by Variety and Impact

Shawn Howe, GSP, is an industrial hygiene professional, a graduate student in the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and a 2025 recipient of a BCSP Qualified Academic Program (QAP) Scholarship.

My favorite part of being an EHS student and industrial hygiene professional is how many roles you get to step into at once.

One day you’re a scientist analyzing exposures — the next you’re a detective tracing the source of a hazard, a problem-solver designing controls, an organizer coordinating teams, a communicator translating complex data, and a strategist helping leadership make safer decisions.

It’s a field that lets you be technical and analytical, but also practical, creative, and people-focused. That variety — and the fact that it all directly protects workers — makes the work genuinely rewarding. A lot of fields feel abstract, but in EHS you can walk into a workplace, make an adjustment, and know that someone goes home healthier because of it.

You learn how exposures work, how systems fail, and how to fix things before they turn into real problems. It’s technical, it’s evidence-based, and it gives you a front-row seat to what actually happens in industries most people never get to see.

If you like understanding the “why” behind things and you want work that’s practical, useful, and respected, EHS is a career nobody talks about — but absolutely should.

FROM THE QAP WORKGROUP

Bradbury, Oursler Selected to Lead QAP Workgroup Through 2026-27

BCSP’s Qualified Academic Program (QAP) Workgroup has selected officers to guide its efforts through the 2026-27 academic year in supporting future EHS leaders through excellence in education.

Wyatt Bradbury of the University of Alabama at Birmingham will serve as Chair of the workgroup, while Marcia Oursler of Southeastern Louisiana University will serve as Vice Chair. Read more.

BCSP AWARDS

Two Safety Educators Honored for All-Around Excellence

BCSP's 2026 Awards were presented recently to a pair of EHS professionals with strong ties to the academic community.

Leo J. DeBobes, a former ASSP National Safety Professional of the Year who taught at Stony Brook University and Suffolk County Community College, received the Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Georgi Popov, professor at the University of Central Missouri and former ASSP Outstanding Safety Educator, received the CSP Award of Excellence. Read more.

REMINDER TO GRADS

Don't Forget to Apply for Your GSP

Congratulations to the Class of 2026! As a graduate of a BCSP Qualified Academic Program (QAP), you can get a head start on your career with the Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) designation.

All it takes is for you to apply within 1 year of your graduation. Simply sign into My Profile at BCSP.ORG or create your profile and apply. Holding the GSP opens the door for you to sit for the Certified Safety Professional (CSP) exam once you meet the CSP's 4-year work experience requirement. You must pass the CSP examination within 6 years of being awarded your GSP.

FREE Resources Built for You

An ever-growing digital library with hundreds of EHS resources is just a click away.

Learn from real-world safety pros with actionable leadership insight for you.

Join BCSP CEO Christy Uden as she visits safety leaders in unique settings.

Expert EHS-related webinars, available for you to view live and on-demand.

SCHOLARSHIPS & GRANTS

Recognizing Our Latest QAP Scholarship Recipients

At the end of 2025, BCSP announced 39 recipients of its latest Qualified Academic Program (QAP) Scholarships.

The scholarships are awarded annually to deserving students who attend collegiate programs that BCSP has determined match the criteria needed to offer the Graduate Safety Practitioner (GSP) designation.

Additionally, BCSP awarded grants to 7 degree programs to assist with the cost of accreditation or reaccreditation through ABET or AABI.

See all 2025 scholarship and grant recipients.

View application details for 2026.

(Applications for 2026 QAP Scholarships and ABET/AABI Grants open in the fall.)

More FREE Resources to Help You Grow

Explore the latest research shaping the future of EHS practice, or submit your own research findings for consideration.

Start your journey to your dream career in EHS. Our career center connects job seekers with employers.

Looking for career guidance? Connect with mentors and learn from those who have walked this path before you.

View more than 60,000 active credential holders in the BCSP Credential Holder Directory. Will you be next?

NEW FROM SHIFT

View The Latest Groundbreaking EHS Research

SHIFT: Global EHS Research to Practice, BCSP's academic journal, has new, original research waiting for you. Visit BCSPSHIFT.COM to view the most recent findings below, explore the archive of previous research, subscribe, or get involved.

• Aerosol Characterization of Abrasive Blasting Operations

• Farmers' Ergonomic Risk Assessment (FERA) Tool in the Musculoskeletal Disorders Risk Assessment of Agriculturists

Get Involved with BCSP

Present a BCSP Webinar: Share your EHS-related wisdom or best practices. Complete our Webinar Presenter Interest Form.

Promote the Value of BCSP to Your School: We'll work with you to make sure individuals seeking quality EHS education know your school produces future leaders. Contact Serah Kimbrough, Credentialing Program Manager, for more.

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