National Environmental Health Association's 79th Annual Education Conference

The National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) submits this proposal to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Scientific Conference Grant Program (R13/U13), FOA Number: PAR-14-237. Grant assistance will be used to develop, administer, and conduct a three-day educational conference, “NEHA's 79th Annual Educational Conference (AEC) & Exhibition.” The 2015 AEC will take place July 13-15 (with two additional days of meetings and workshops) at The Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. NEHA anticipates an estimated cost of $600,000 for the AEC and is requesting assistance in the amount of $25,000, which represents about 4% of the estimated total AEC costs. NEHA is requesting funding to assist with audio/visual costs to provide high quality education and training. The AEC is designed to train, educate, and advance environmental health (EH) and protection professionals, as well as build a professional network, exchange information, and discover new and practical solutions to food defense and protection and other EH issues. The AEC meets the needs of both those who specialize in an EH area, such as food safety, as well as the “generalists” that have broad responsibility in providing EH services. The AEC brings together 1,000-1,200 state, local, tribal, territorial, and federal EH and public health professionals from health or environmental agencies, as well as industry, academia, and uniform services. The AEC will provide a means to translate field-based research on food safety and a wide variety of EH topics into action to address environmental exposures and health risks to the public and will help build the capacity of EH professionals and their organizations to perform essential functions, solve problems, and define and achieve objectives. NEHA will keep EH professionals up-to-date, relevant, and highly competent in their roles through the provision of continuing education and professional development opportunities. The 2015 AEC will highlight innovative presentations to reflect the Orlando theme parks and engage attendees in educational discovery, innovative research and development, and encourage presenters to provide a multi-dimensional experience that will leave attendees inspired to take action. ORA's vision that “all food is safe…and the public health is advanced and protected,” as well as its mission to protect consumers and enhance public health by maximizing compliance and minimizing risk—aligns with NEHA's mission “to advance the environmental health and protection professional for the purpose of providing a healthful environment for all.” Both missions are embodied in NEHA's AEC.