OVERALL - ABSTRACT The NIOSH Southern California Education and Research Center (SCERC) advances the field of Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) through a multi-campus, multi-disciplinary collaboration of eight programs across two University of California Campuses, UC Irvine (UCI) and UC Los Angeles (UCLA). The goal of the SCERC is to improve worker safety and health, productivity and workforce equity within Region IX and the nation. The Occupational Medicine Residency (OMR), Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing (OEHN), Industrial Hygiene (IH), and a proposed Occupational Epidemiology (OE) program offer graduate level academic and research training. The Targeted Research Training program provides specialized pre- and postdoctoral research training. A Pilot Project Research Training program engages and trains researchers new to the field from across Region IX. The Continuing Education program offers courses for practicing occupational health professionals and the Outreach program offers consultation and information on best practices and skills to the wider community of OSH professionals. The SCERC operates in concert with the UCLA and UCI Centers for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH) which are state supported centers for research and teaching in occupational safety and health.

OVERALL - PROJECT NARRATIVE The programs of the SCERC impact occupational health and safety in three ways: Our graduates contribute directly to worker safety and health through their employment as professionals in the field and many go on to assume leadership positions in business and various state and federal agencies. Our research contributes to longer term improvements in worker health through improved understanding of workplace exposures, health effects, and their control. Our Outreach and Continuing Education Programs facilitate the translation of research results into actual occupational and public health and safety practice.