Pilot Project Research Training Past Awards | Johns Hopkins Education and Research Center for Occupational Safety and Health

Past Awards (2004-2023)

Click here to return to the PPRT announcement page.

Award 2023-2024 (Awarded January 2024)

Investigator:    Caitlin Ceryes
Status:    Assistant Professor
University    Towson U
Project Title    Assessing occ healthcare needs and disparities among Delmarva poultry processing workers

Investigator:    Kisha Grady
Status:    DrPH student
University    JHU
Mentor:    Quiros-Alcala
Project Title    The price of beauty: Addressing critical surveillance gaps and establishing key alliances for effective outreach in underserved and underrepresented workers in salon settings.

Investigator:    Ryan Hines
Status:    PhD student
University    JHU
Mentor:    Ramachandran
Project Title    Exposure Model Validation in Variable Occupational Environments for use in Bayesian Decision Analysis

Investigator:    Grant Tore
Status:    PhD student
University    JHU
Mentor:    Quiros-Alcala
Project Title    Examining associations of glyphosate exposure among Chilean agricultural workers with biomarkers of subclinical kidney disease

Investigator:    Eri Togami
Status:    PhD student
University    JHU
Mentor:    Meghan Davis
Project Title    A One Health approach to protecting the health of farmers and animal care workers against zoonotic diseases in the livestock value chain: A qualitative study embedded in a randomized control trial

Investigator:    Sara Lupolt
Status:    Assistant Scientist
University    JHU
Mentor:    Nachman
Project Title    Characterizing exposures to biosolids among biosolids applicators and agricultural workers

Awards 2022-2023 (Awarded January 2023)

Investigator:    Laura Nicolau
Status:    Instructor of Medicine
University    JHU
Project Title    Brick kilns: A neglected but serious occupational and environmental risk factor

Investigator:    Christen Dunn
Status:    PhD student
University    Old Dominion U
Mentor:    James Blando
Project Title    A Pilot Study of Work Exposures and Sleep Health in Firefighters

Investigator:    Lesliam Quiros-Alcala
Status:    Assistant Professor
University    Johns Hopkins
Project Title    REPRO-HAIR: Researching Exposures of Potential Reproductive Concern On Hairdressers: A Pilot Study

Investigator:    Melissa DeSantiago
Status:    PHD student
University    JHU
Mentor:    Quiros-Alcala
Project Title    The METALES Study: Measuring Exposures To Agro-chemicals and their Link to rEnal diSease: Using a novel method to assess exposures to chemicals in agricultural work and their role in chronic kidney disease of unknown etiology

Investigator:    Sophia Le
Status:    PhD student
University    JHU
Mentor:    Koehler
Project Title    Differences in Occupational Airborne Contaminant Exposure and Respiratory Health between Urban and Rural Settlements in the VICINITY Study

Awards 2021-2022 (Awarded January 2022)

Investigator    Melissa DeSantiago
Status:    PhD student
University    Johns Hopkins
Mentor:    Quiros-Alcala
Project Title    The METALES Study: Measuring Exposures To Agrochemicals and their Link to rEnal diSease

Investigator    Jonathon Ehsani
Status:    Assistant Professor, HPM
University    Johns Hopkins
Project Title    Motor vehicle crash risk among au pairs in the U.S.

Investigator:    Sunwook Kim
Status:    Research Assistant Professor
University    Virginia Tech
Project Title    Assessing the Potential Adverse Impacts of Back-Support Exoskeletons on Fall Risks

Investigator:    Rachel Topazian
Status:    PhD Student
University    Johns Hopkins
Mentor:    Cass Crifassi
Project Title    Data privacy perspectives in the context of workplace safety

Investigator:    Sol Lim
Status:    Assistant Professor
University    Virginia Tech
Project Title    Investigating Sensitivity to Vibrotactile Stimulation during Dynamic Work Tasks to Facilitate Future Effective Ergonomic Interventions

2020

Investigator:   Lydia Louis and Magdalena Fandino
Status:    Post-Docs (2)
University:    Johns Hopkins University
Mentor:    Lesliam Quiros-Alcala
Project Title:    The role of phthalate exposure on biomarkers of oxidative stress and inflammation among minority hairdressers

Investigator: Brenda Berumen
Status: PhD student
University:   Old Dominion University
Mentor:   Muge Apkinar-Elci
Project Title:   Assessing the Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on US Hispanic/Latino Farmworkers

Investigator:    Jessica Suedbeck
Status:    Assistant Professor
University:    Old Dominion University
Mentor:    N/A
Project Title:    Ergonomic Instrument Selection for Dental Hygiene Students

Investigator:    Joyce Lin
Status:   PhD student
University:   Johns Hopkins University
Mentor:   Ana Rule
Project Title:     Characterizing Metal Exposure in Cleanup Workers involved in the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Qualification of a Toenail Biomarker and Implications for Neurobehavioral Health

Investigator:    SueAnn Woods
Status:    PhD student (she is also assistant professor)
University:    West Virginia University
Mentor:   Christopher Martin
Project Title:    The impact on disability on mortality among workers with upper extremity disorder claims: a retrospective cohort study

Investigator: Caitlin Ceryes
Status:   PhD student
University:    Johns Hopkins University
Mentor:   Roni Neff
Project Title: Impact of COVID-19 on food distribution essential workers

2019

Name: Sean Banaee, PhD, CIH, CSP
Status:    Assistant Professor, Old Dominion University
Mentor:   N/A
Project Title:    Study of Musculo-Skeletal Disorders amongst Dental Hygiene Students

Name:      Lucy Kavi, MSc
Status: PhD student, University of Maryland SPH
Mentor: Lesliam Quiros-Alcala, PhD, MSc
Project Title:     Workplace exposures to current and emerging contaminants of concern among minority workers

Name: Cynthia T. Pugh, MS, CSP, CHO
Status:    PhD student, Indiana University of PA
Mentor:   Dr. Luz Stella Marin-Ramirez
Project Title:    Evaluation of occupational exposures to nanomaterials in Electronic Recycling (E-Cycle) facilities.

Name: Keisha A. Robinson, CNM, C-EFM
Status: PhD Student, UMD School of Nursing
Mentor:            Yolanda Ogbolu PhD., CRNP, FNAP, FAAN
Project Title:    Clinician Resilience after Traumatic Child Birth Exposure

Name: Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá, PhD, MSc
Status:   Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins SPH
Mentor:     N/A
Project Title:    Exposures to respiratory irritants among hairdressers and their role on the nasal microbiome

Name:    Kathryn R. Dalton, VMD MPH
Status: PhD student, JHSPH
Mentor:     Meghan F. Davis, PhD DVM MPH
Project Title:    Identifying Occupational Health Benefits and Concerns of Key Stakeholders Regarding Hospital-Based Animal-Assisted Intervention Programs: A Pilot Study to Inform Program Implementation.

Name: Molly Francis, MPH
Status: PhD Student, JHBPH
Mentor:     Keisha Pollack Porter, PhD
Project Title:     Minimum Wage and Fatal Occupational Injury

2018

Name: Kimeran Evans PT, DPT
Status: PhD Student, West Virginia University
Mentor: Douglas Myers, ScD
Project Title: An In-Depth Exploration of Hospital-Based Physical and Occupational Therapists’ Needs, Perceptions and Involvement Regarding Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Programs (OEMR)

Name: Jillian Fry, PhD, MPH
Status: Assistant Scientist, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: NA
Project Title: Identifying Occupational Safety and Health Research Priorities in Aquaculture: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study (Other)

Name: Katie Overbey, MS
Status: PhD candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Kellogg Schwab, PhD, Professor
Project Title: Occupational Exposure to Human Norovirus in Hospitals: Capacity Building and Surface Sampling to Inform Large Scale Studies (OEH)

Name: Yuan Shao, PhD
Status: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Gurumurthy Ramachandran, PhD
Project Title: Tomographic Reconstruction of Spatial Aerosol Distribution using Multispectral Light Extinction Measurement - A Chamber Study (Other)

2017

Name: Leigh J. Allin, MS
Status: PhD Student, Department of Biomedical Engineering & Mechanics, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Mentor: Michael L. Madigan, Ph.D.
Project Title: Evaluating the Effects of Occupationally-Relevant Fatiguing Work on Trip-Induced Fall Risk.

Name: Sara Lupolt, MPH, CPH
Status: PhD Student, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Keeve E. Nachman, PhD, MHS
Project Title: Characterizing urban farmers’ activities and rates of soil contact via videographic methods

Name: Lesliam Quiros-Alcala, PhD, MS
Status: Assistant Professor, Maryland Institute of Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health
Mentor: N/A
Project Title: The Hair Salon Study: A Pilot Study to Evaluate Occupational Exposures in Hair Salons

2016

Name: Mitchell Doucette, MS
Status: PhD Candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Shannon Frattaroli, PhD
Project Title: Measuring the Effect of Changes in Parking Lot Laws on Firearm-related Workplace Homicides

Name: Divya Srinivasan, MS, MS, PhD
Status: Assistant Professor, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Mentor: N/A
Project Title: Acute Low-Back Biomechanical and Physiological Effects of the Sit-Stand Paradigm

Name: Christopher Zuidema, MSc
Status: PhD Candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Kirsten Koehler, PhD
Project Title: Improving Personal Exposure Estimates: Field Testing Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) Tags on a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) Positioning System to Locate and Track Workers in a Manufacturing Setting

2015

Name: Pankaj Kuhar, MS
Status: PhD candidate, Pennsylvania State University
Mentor: Dr. Dennis J. Murphy
Project Title: Evaluation of Airborne Hazards Associated with Harvesting, Storage, Transportation and Processing of Solid Biomass from Switchgrass and Miscanthus

Name: Ashley Newton, BS
Status: PhD candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Kirsten Koehler
Project Title: Occupational Trace Metal Detection: Development of a Novel, Low-cost Analysis Method Using Microfluidic Paper-based Analysis Devices (μPADs)

Name: Pranay Randad, MS
Status: PhD candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Christopher Heaney
Project Title: Relative Pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus Strains Observed in Livestock Workers Compared to Strains Observed in Community and Hospitalized Populations

2014

Name: Meghan F. Davis, DVM, MPH, PhD
Status: Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: N/A
Project Title: Respiratory Morbidity and Nasal Microbiome Dynamics Related to Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcal Enterotoxin Exposure in Swine Confinement Workers

Name: Thammasin Inviya, MD, MHS
Status: PhD candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Paul Strickland
Project Title: Benzene and PAH Exposure in Oil Spill Cleanup Workers in Thailand

Name: Sunwook Kim, PhD
Status: Research Scientist, Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic & State University
Mentor: Dr. Maury A. Nussbaum
Project Title: Understanding the Safety and Health of Loggers in Mechanized Harvesting Operations

2013

Name: Jeremy Gernand, PhD
Status: Assistant Professor, Pennsylvania State University
Mentor: N/A
Project Title: Characterizing Ambient Background Nanoparticle Distributions in Workplaces

Name: Kirsten Koehler, PhD
Status: Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: N/A
Project Title: Development of a Novel, Low Cost Sampler to Estimate Occupational Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon (PAH) Exposures

2012

Name: Jesse Negherbon, BS, MEng
Status: PhD candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Patrick N. Breysse, PhD
Project Title: Total Pro-inflammatory Potential of Occupational Exposures to Agricultural Dusts

Name: Nora Pisanic, PhD
Status: Post-doctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Christopher D. Heaney, PhD
Project Title: Occupational Health Impacts of Zoonotic Pathogen Exposures among Swine CAFO Workers

Name: David Swedler, MPH
Status: PhD candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Keshia Pollack, PhD, MPH
Project Title: A Mixed Methods Examination of Distracted Driving in Commercial Truck Drivers

2011

Name: Shannon E. Carter, BS
Status: PhD candidate, University of Delaware, Dept. of Plant and Soil Sciences
Mentor: Donald L. Sparks, PhD
Project Title: Distribution and Speciation of Metals and Metalloids in Particulate Matter Emitted from Delmarva Poultry Operations

Name: Airín D. Martinez, PhD
Status: Post-doctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Jacqueline Agnew, PhD, MPH
Project Title: Needs Assessment for the Development of an Occupational Health Education Program for Latinos in Baltimore

Name: Ana M. Rule, PhD
Status: Research Associate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: NA
Project Title: Validation of a Sampling Method for the Preservation of Chromium⁺⁶ in Airborne Samples

2010

Name: David Swedler, MPH
Status: PhD candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Keshia Pollack, PhD, MPH
Project Title: Analysis of Felonious Homicide of Law Enforcement Officers

Name: Dionne Williams, MPH
Status: DrPH candidate, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Jacqueline Agnew, PhD, MPH
Project Title: Perceptions of Occupational Safety in Operating Rooms and Surgeons' Compliance with Sharps Safety Behaviors

2009

Name: Ronda Brewer, MD, MPH
Status: Occupational Medicine Resident, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine
Mentor: Judith Green-McKenzie, MD, MPH
Project title: Characterization of Occupational Blood Born Pathogen Exposures in Health Care Workers at a University Hospital: A Three Year Retrospective Study

Name: Victoria M. Pak, BSN
Status: PhD candidate, University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing
Mentor: Jennifer A. Pinto-Martin, PhD, MPH
Project title: Assessing Workplace Phthalate Among Massage Therapy Students

Name: Brandon Takacs, MS
Status: Assistant Professor, West Virginia College of Engineering and Mineral Resources
Mentor: NA
Project title: Field Examination of a Newly Designed Miners' Helmet Equipped with Cap Mount Muffs

2008

Name: Whitney Austin, BA
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Shannon Frattaroli
Project title: The impact of LEED-certified green building design on occupational safety and health

Name: Jan Jaeger, RN, PhD
Status: Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania, Center for Bioethics
Mentor: NA
Project title: A feasibility study of occupational health and safety and emerging nanotechnologies

Name: Leora Vegosen, MHS
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Patrick N. Breysse
Project title: Occupational exposures to Campylobacter jejuni and autoimmune peripheral neuropathy in cow farmers

2007

Name: Katherine Clark, MHS
Status: DrPH Candidate, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Peter SJ Lees
Project title: An in vitro model of human intestinal transport of nanoparticles

Name: Julie Richman, MHS
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Alison Geyh
Project title: Determining the kinetics of blood Mn after exposure to welding fume

Name: Amir Sapkota, PhD
Status: Assistant Professor, University of Maryland, School of Public Health
Mentor: NA
Project title: Occupational exposure of bus drivers to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM_2.5)

Name: Maria Tellez-Plaza, MD, MPH
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Ana Navas-Acien
Project title: Cadmium exposure, metallothionein levels, and kidney disease in a General Motors Company assembly plant

2006

Name: Rebecca Clouse, RN, MS
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Jacqueline Agnew / Dr. Virginia Weaver
Project title: Measurement of NHANES urinary metals panel in Korean lead workers

Name: Christopher Coleman, PhD, MPH
Status: Assistant Professor, University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing
Mentor: NA
Project title: The impact of HAART on the functional health status of employed individuals with AIDS

Name: Carrie D. Dorsey, MD, MPH
Status: Assistant Professor, University of Maryland, School of Medicine
Mentor: NA
Project title: Human breast milk biomonitoring: detection of hazardous drugs in the breast milk of oncology nurses

Name: Harry Hochheiser, PhD
Status: Assistant Professor, Department of Computer and Information Sciences, Towson University
Mentor: NA
Project title: Evaluating menu selection task performance of blind users of screen readers

Name: Keshia M. Pollack, PhD, MPH
Status: Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: NA
Project title: Ergonomic hazards: an exploratory study of personal protective equipment and obesity

Name: Julie Richman, MHS
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Alison Geyh
Project title: Determining the kinetics of blood Mn after exposure to welding fume

Name: Deborah E. Young, MS
Status: PhD Candidate, Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic & State University
Mentor: Dr. Maury A. Nussbaum
Project title: Evaluation of engineering control technology for drywall sanding operations

2005

Name: David Colquhoun, MS
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Rolf Halden
Project title: Application of proteomics for the development of biomarkers of occupational exposure

Name: Victoria V. Dickson, MSN
Status: PhD Candidate, University of Pennsylvania, School of Nursing
Mentor: Dr. Linda McCauley
Project title: Variables affecting heart failure self-care management in the workforce

Name: Cherise B. Harrington, BA
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Medical & Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Mentor: Dr. Michael Feuerstein
Project title: Ergonomic and psychosocial interventions and outcomes in patients with acute low back pain

Name: Andrew Lincoln, ScD
Status: Adjunct Assistant Professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: NA
Project title: Reliability and validity of shoulder impairment ratings

Name: Priscah Murjuru, DrPH
Status: Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, West Virginia University, School of Medicine
Mentor: NA
Project title: Evaluation of various injury trends among young workers, 1996-2005

Name: My Linn Sawyer, MD, MPH
Status: Occupational Medicine Resident, Division of Occupational Medicine, University of Pennsylvania
Mentor: Dr. Edward Emmett
Project title: Mandatory overtime increases occupational injuries at an automotive assembly plant

Name: Plernpit Suwan-Ampai, MSc, MHS
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Jacqueline Agnew
Project title: Individual factors and geographical variation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) exposures and acute respiratory symptoms among a sample of the NHANES 1999-2002

Name: Jennifer Taylor, MPH
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Prof. Susan Baker
Project title: Poor Organizational culture leads to injuries in the nursing workforce: are the same cultural risk factors putting patients at risk?

2004

Name: Susan M. Antol, MS, RN
Status: Lecturer, University of Maryland, School of Nursing
Mentor: Dr. Jane Lipscomb
Project title: Health issues of female Mexican crab pickers

Name: Maria Bulzacchelli, BA
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Jon S. Vernick
Project title: An evaluation of the impact of OSHA's control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) standard (29 CFR 1910.147) on occupational injury rates

Name: Myrna Callison, BS, MA
Status: PhD Candidate, Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic & State University
Mentor: Dr. Maury A. Nussbaum
Project title: Identification of physically demanding patient handling tasks in an acute care hospital

Name: Nicole Cardello, MHS
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Timothy Buckley
Project title: Evaluation of methods of assessing exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Name: Lori Edwards, RN, MPH
Status: DrPH Candidate, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Jacqueline Agnew
Project title: Health risks and health priorities of Vietnamese American nail salon workers

Name: Jurek George Grabowski, MPH
Status: PhD Candidate, Tulane University School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Guo Hua Li
Project title: Occupational injuries in airport ground crews

Name: Thurmon Lockhart, PhD
Status: Assistant Professor, Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic & State University
Mentor: NA
Project title: Age-related effects of work-pace and load carrying on risk of slip initiation

Name: Shirley Van Zandt, MS, MPH
Status: PhD Candidate, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Mentor: Dr. Sheila Fitzgerald
Project title: Characteristics of low-income workers'