Here you can:
Translate your
research into
policy impact.
Harness your passion for improving public health.
At DEOHS, you can:
Help shape health and safety protections for temporary workers and others doing precarious work (the PhD research of Trevor Peckham, pictured above).
Identify on-the-job respiratory hazards for workers in the fast-growing cannabis industry.
Work with our Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety to study the health effects of heat exposure for agricultural workers.
Why study Occupational Hygiene/Exposure Science?
Exposure scientists quantify hazardous environmental exposures and their risk to human health. Occupational hygienists apply those skills in workplace settings by recognizing, evaluating and controlling exposures from risks such as heat, noise, dust and psychological stress that can cause occupational diseases and aggravate other health problems.
Our Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety, part of DEOHS, offers traineeships for the Industrial Hygiene/Exposure Science training program, funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
As a student focusing on Occupational Hygiene/Exposure Science, you will:
- Take common core courses introducing foundational concepts and skills, including: risk assessment, management and communication; assessment and management of exposures to environmental hazards; core principles of toxicology; and how to use a One Health approach to address complex challenges.
- Learn how to monitor, analyze and control exposures to chemical, physical and biological agents in hazardous chemicals in a variety of settings. Students choosing the Occupational Hygiene area of emphasis receive additional training in occupational and environmental disease and industrial hygiene.
- Complete a culminating experience (thesis, project or dissertation) showcasing your ability to integrate the skills you have learned to address an occupational hygiene/exposure science problem.
"Since joining the department, I’ve been impressed with how much research is going on and how many opportunities there are for students to get involved."
Allen Chan, MS, 2021
Student research
Maria Peña
Dynamic Coefficient of Fiction Testing at Two Light Rail Train Stations
MS Applied, 2025
Faculty: Martin A. Cohen
Pranav Srikanth
Characterizing drug use incidents on transit vehicles and its impact on transit operators
PhD, 2025
Faculty: Marissa Baker
Abigail Gilbert
Examining the Utility of LA-ICP-MS for Detection of Time-resolved Zinc Exposures and Determination of Hair Growth Rate
MS Thesis, 2024
Faculty: Christopher D. Simpson
Our faculty and research
"This is a chance to use my training to mentor students and directly impact workers and businesses to help keep people safe."
Marissa Baker, PhD
Associate Professor and Deputy Director of the
Northwest Center for Occupational Health and Safety
Research spotlight
Jobs with the highest cancer deaths in the U.S.
Occupation is an important contributor to cancer burden in U.S., according to new research by DEOHS faculty member Marissa Baker and collaborators
Looking out for “invisible” workers
New DEOHS Assistant Professor Rachel Sklar sparks solutions for marginalized workers and communities
Color-changing wipes spot lead in homes and cars
New UW and Boston University study validates simpler, cheaper lead screening method for families
Career pathways
Our Occupational Hygiene/Exposure Science graduates work in the public, private and nonprofit sectors and in academia. Recent DEOHS graduates work as:
- Safety and Health Compliance Officer with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.
- Industrial Safety Professional at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
- Industrial Hygienist at Boeing.
"I was actually surprised by how invested the faculty wanted to be in me and my own professional development in addition to helping me find funding. It’s just been a really rewarding experience."
Jessica Porter, MS, 2019
Read more