Activities

Environmental Health Science Club

The Environmental Health Science Club is the student chapter of the Georgia Environmental Health Association (GEHA). Membership in the EHS club automatically registers you for membership with GEHA. Meetings will take place the first Tuesday of every month at 5pm in room 101 of the EHS building (building number 1050). Pizza and drinks are always served. The benefits of the EHS club are numerous. By joining, you will be making new friends, creating contacts for yourself with environmental and public health professionals, getting information on internships and careers, learning about current events, and participating in community outreach. If you have any comments or concerns, please do not hesitate to e-mail either the club president Julie Maimes (jmaimes@uga.edu) or the club advisor Dr. Marsha Black (mblack@uga.edu).

Epsilon Nu Eta

Epsilon Nu Eta (ENH) is the Environmental Health Science Honor Society. The top juniors and seniors, as determined by academic performance, are eligible for membership in ENH. Juniors are required to be in the top fourth of their class and have completed at least 15 hours of Environmental Health coursework with no grade below a B. Senior members are required to be in the top third of their class and have completed at least 21 hours of Environmental Health Science coursework with no grade below a B in each of those courses. ENH members are responsible for hosting the annual awards banquet for Environmental Health Science students.

Adopt-A-Stream

Adopt-A-Stream is an organization that comprises student and community groups from localities across the United States that are interested in preservation and improvement of water quality. Students in the Environmental Health Science Department have participated in Adopt-A-Stream since 1997 under the advisement of Dr. Marsha Black. The students evaluate water quality in Sandy Creek on a regular basis. East Sandy Creek is a stream just north of Athens that feeds Lake Chapman in Sandy Creek Park, flows through the Sandy Creek Nature Center, and is a tributary of the Oconee River. Students conduct a variety of water quality data including turbidity, alkalinity, pH, dissolved oxygen and chemical concentrations such as nitrate and ammonia. In addition, students monitor the populations of pelagic and benthic species such as mussels and stonerollers to determine associations between water quality and prevalence of aquatic organisms. The information is submitted to the State of Georgia Environmental Protection Division and become part of the state water quality database and management program.

Student Chapter, American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)

The association gives students with a strong interest in industrial hygiene valuable exposure to the field through invited speakers and participation at local and regional AIHA meetings

National Environmental Health Association

The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) is a national professional society for environmental health practitioners, which was established in 1937. Currently the association has 5,000 members and offers a variety of programs that reflect the association's mission: "to advance the environmental health and protection professional for the purpose of providing a healthful environment for all." The association offers seven national credential programs (the Registered Environmental Health Specialist/Registered Sanitarian (REHS/RS), the Certified Environmental Health Technician (CEHT), the Registered Hazardous Substances Professional (RHSP), the Registered Hazardous Substances Specialist (RHSS), the Registered Environmental Technician (RET), the Certified Food Safety Professional (CFSP), the NEHA Radon Proficiency Program). NEHA sponsors an annual Educational Conference and Exhibition along with a number of technical workshops each year and publishes the peer-reviewed Journal of Environmental Health. Members can get involved in the society and the EHS field through working with NEHA committees on Air/Land, Chemical and Bioterrorism Preparedness, Drinking Water/Water Pollution, Emerging Pathogens/Vector Control/Zoonotic Diseases, Environmental Health Management, Environmental Health Research, Food Protection and Safety, General Environmental Health, Hazardous and Toxic Substances and On-site Wastewater Management. Member services include free subscriptions to the Journal of Environmental Health, access to an online career center (www.neha.org/CareerOp.html), discounts on printed material, meeting and workshop fees, a professional resume service and networking opportunities with NEHA professionals, among others. Full NEHA membership is open to all professionals employed in the environmental field. Student membership is open to all EHS students. Student dues are $25/year. Visit www.neha.org for more information.

Georgia Environmental Health Association

The Georgia Environmental Health Association (GEHA) is a regional affiliate of NEHA. Dues for student membership in GEHA are automatically included in the EHS Club dues. GEHA members receive the Georgia Environmentalist and discounted rates at the annual GEHA Educational Conference. GEHA also sponsors the Irving Bell Scholarship, a highly-competitive $1500 award given annually to a senior EHS student. Additional information about GEHA can be accessed at www.geha-online.org.