FAQ: What to Expect at AIHce EXP 2023

Q) What keynote speakers are lined up for AIHce EXP 2023?

A) The opening keynote speaker will be Poppy Crum, BMus, MA, PhD, the chief scientist at NextSense Inc. and an adjunct professor at Stanford University. Her presentation, “Optimizing Human Performance Through Technology,” will kick off the conference on May 22 at 8 a.m. Mountain time and explore the human and consumer applications of rapidly advancing technology.

Faridodin “Fredi” Lajvardi will deliver the closing keynote session, “Diversity Is Key to Move the OEHS Agenda Forward,” on May 24 at 3:30 p.m. Mountain time. Lajvardi, who taught science at a predominantly Hispanic high school for over 30 years, will explain why diversity is key to igniting students’ interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. He will also discuss the importance of diversity in building teams made up of members who support and motivate each other and in fueling creative innovation and problem-solving.

We’re excited to welcome Dr. Crum and Mr. Lajvardi to AIHce EXP 2023, and we look forward to learning from them about how to make our workplaces and communities healthier.

Q) What are AIHA’s plans for people who cannot attend the conference in person?

A) AIHA will also offer a robust virtual conference featuring 61 educational sessions, with up to five sessions scheduled for each time block. Also, the virtual conference is not just for people who work remote. For example, some companies buy group registrations and gather their teams at their offices to participate in the virtual event together.

Q) The AIHce EXP website says that registration for the on-site and virtual conferences comes with access to AIHce OnDemand. What is AIHce OnDemand and how does it benefit AIHce EXP attendees?

A) AIHA’s education team and Conference Planning Committee have worked hard to make AIHce EXP an educational EXPerience. But it can be difficult to decide between all the events offered on the full on-site schedule, which includes 67 professional development courses, 155 education sessions, 24 research roundups, four poster sessions, and 31 pop-up education sessions. The AIHA team wanted to take the stress out of decision-making, so we’ve included access to AIHce OnDemand with all full and one-day conference registrations. This applies to registrants who attend the conference virtually or in person.

Through AIHce OnDemand, attendees will receive audio recordings synched to most session presenters’ slides (a small percentage will be unavailable due to speaker permission). The recordings will be available starting between three and four weeks after the conference until December 31, 2023. AIHce OnDemand allows you to earn additional certification maintenance (CM) contact hours on top of the 18 contact hours available during the live conference event. Online attendees will be able to watch sessions not originally included in the virtual program, while on-site attendees will have more time to network, browse the Expo, and enjoy other events.

Q) Conference educational sessions are perfect for many people, but others want or need deeper dives on particular subjects. What does AIHA offer for those who want more interaction and more contact hours?

A) AIHce EXP hosts professional development courses (PDCs) before and after the conference, on Saturday, May 20, Sunday, May 21, and Thursday, May 25. Through in-depth instruction by field experts, these formalized learning experiences enhance technical competence and provide practical tools and skills for the modern workplace. This year, we’re offering 67 PDCs on site. Twenty of these will also be available virtually for people who can’t attend in person.

There are also AIHA University eLearning courses available throughout the year that may be suitable for many people’s educational needs.

Q) What activities or events can AIHce EXP attendees look forward to?

A) There are enough activities to keep on-site AIHce attendees busy throughout the duration of the conference, if they wish! For newcomers, DuPont will sponsor a meet-and-greet breakfast on Monday, May 22, to provide first-time attendees an opportunity to network with each other and plan their AIHce EXPerience.

The Nexus is an on-site lounge designed specifically for students and early career professionals. Nexus attendees will be treated to Lessons in Leadership, a series of meet-and-greet events with the two keynote speakers, as well as AIHA’s named award winners, Board members, and volunteer group and committee members.

The Career Advantage Fair will provide attendees with free counseling, resumé critique, career workshops, mock interviews, and speed networking activities.

If you want to support a good cause while staying active at the convention center, join the American Industrial Hygiene Foundation’s Fun Run on Tuesday, May 23. Fun Run registration fees will go towards AIHF’s scholarship fund for OEHS students. Participants also have the option to complete a 5-kilometer run or 2.5-kilometer walk, or they may choose the “sleep in” option to donate without running.

Finally, the Expo Hall will be packed with hundreds of vendors looking to meet potential clients in person, share their new products and services, and enjoy a drink during the Expo Hall networking reception on Monday, May 22.

At the Expo, you can:

• Visit Innovation Station sessions to learn about the equipment, instrumentation, technology, and other materials and activities being developed by exhibitors.
• Check out the PPE Fashion Show for innovative personal protective equipment and clothing that addresses workforce diversity, ensures proper fit, and provides maximum protection to users.
• Stop by the AIHA Booth to check out the AIHA University Bookstore’s conference discounts and chat with AIHA staff about the association’s latest initiatives and member benefits. AIHA will also host Main Stage presentations in the booth every hour and half-hour while the hall is open.

To help attendees make the most of their time at AIHce EXP, AIHA is introducing AIHce EXP Journey Maps customized for each type of AIHce attendee: first timers, students, early career professionals, virtual participants, and seasoned professionals attending on site. Each Journey Map provides the respective attendee category an overview of the activities and events likely to be most interesting to them.

We have so many new and exciting things for AIHce EXP attendees this year! We look forward to seeing everyone in Phoenix or online from May 22 to 24.