Become an Industrial Hygienist: A Talk with Richard Hirsh, MPH, CIH, FAIHA

Michelle Meyer, Director of COEH Continuing Education, discusses the field of industrial hygiene and why to become an industrial hygienist with Richard Hirsh, MPH, CIH, FAIHA

About Richard Hirsh:

Richard Hirsh, MPH, CIH, FAIHA, is certified in the comprehensive practice of IH and currently works as Sr. Director, EH&S for Nektar Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical firm with operations in the U.S. and India. Before that, Richard served as Global Safety and IH Manager for Stiefel Laboratories and previously worked for Rohm and Haas Company in the Global EHS department for 20 years.

Richard is an AIHA Fellow and currently serves on the board of the California Industrial Hygiene Council (CIHC). He represents CIHC on the California Partnership for Young Worker Health and Safety. He served on the AIHA International Scientific Planning Committee for the International Occupational Health Association (IOHA) Conference in 2018. He is a past chair of the International Affairs Committee of the AIHA and served as chairperson for the planning committees of the AIHA Asia Pacific Conferences held in both Malaysia in 2014 and Singapore in 2013. Richard is a Past-President of the Northern California Section of the AIHA and serves as founder and chair of the Developing World Outreach Initiative. He also served on the Board of Directors for Workplace Health Without Borders – US Branch and continues to serve on the Advisory Committees for the Centers for Occupational and Environmental Health at both the University of California and University of Michigan.

Richard attended UC Berkeley, School of Public Health, Environmental Health Sciences Program where he received his M.P.H. in 1986. He received a biology degree from Lafayette College. On behalf of the International Affairs Committee, Richard received the Soaring Star Award in 2014. On behalf of the Developing World Outreach Initiative, Richard received the AIHA Social Responsibility Award in 2012 and the Christine Einert Award from the AIHA Northern California Section in 2011. He received the Distinguished EHS Scientist recognition from Rohm and Haas Company in 2004 and received the EJ Skorpinski Memorial Award from Rohm and Haas Company in 1993.