Center for Occupational and Environmental Health

Human activity has transformed environmental health in profound ways. While earlier environmental problems were relatively local the problems of today are persistent and global. Continued exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment, global warming, population growth, habitat destruction and social/psychosocial factors have produced crises that require long term social and technical change for their solutions.

The science and knowledge we bring to the looming environmental crises must evolve to enable prevention/control and protection of public health.

Established by the California Legislature and Executive Branch in 1978, the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH) is one of 3 state funded programs for research, training, and service in the area of occupational and environmental health.

COEH faculty from Public Health, Nursing, and Medicine, train occupational and environmental health professionals and scientists, conduct research, and provide services through consultation, education, and outreach. Programs include environmental chemistry, occupational/environmental epidemiology, occupational ergonomics, industrial hygiene, occupational/environmental medicine, occupational/environmental health nursing, toxicology, gene-environment interactions, psychosocial factors in the work environment, and occupational health education.

Mission:

• Expand our knowledge base,
• Provide exceptional training of students to address these issues, and
• Interact with Southern California communities to better interface between the University and the public.

The following are grant-funded center initiatives that are part of the Center for Occupational and Environmental Health (COEH).

Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center

The Southern California Environmental Health Sciences Center (SCEHSC) was established through funding from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Researchers and professionals from UCLA and the University of Southern California collaborate to create an interdisciplinary approach to the study and advancement of research in environmental health.