Center for Public Health Workforce Development - Rutgers SPH

06/04/2026

Worker health and well-being isn't just something we talk about—it's something we actively prioritize for our own team.

This week, Megan Rockafellow Baldoni led a pressed flower workshop, giving us an opportunity to step away from our desks and spend an hour connecting through creativity, relaxation, and fun. 🌸

In public health and other mission-driven professions, making space for joy matters. When colleagues laugh together, celebrate together, and connect as people, they're building the trust, relationships, and resilience that help them do their best work.

06/04/2026

🚨Next Friday 6/12! Register to attend a FREE 1-day Rutgers School of Public Health virtual course, Managing Existing and Emerging Hazardous Energy Threats in the Workplace.

👷This training is intended for anyone involved in the operation, maintenance, and repair of machinery, including workers, supervisors, and safety managers in manufacturing and smart factories, warehousing and logistics, construction and general facility management.

06/02/2026

🙏Thank you to the more than 70 National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Worker Training Program awardees and staff who recently gathered at Rutgers University—New Brunswick for the 2026 WTP Spring Workshop, focused on AI and the future of worker health and safety training.

The event featured engaging discussions on the evolving role of AI in occupational health and safety, including:

📍Mapping AI as an emerging occupational hazard
📍Adapting risk assessment and the hierarchy of controls for AI
📍Exploring AI as a tool for worker protection—opportunities and risks
📍Identifying high-risk sectors and uniquely susceptible populations
📍Centering worker voice, rights, and collective action in AI deployment

These conversations will help shape how we thoughtfully integrate AI into OSH training, recognizing both its promise and its challenges. It will also offer insights and recommendations for the responsible use of AI in future training programs.

05/28/2026

From the classroom to the global stage 🌍

Associate Professor and Center Manager Koshy Koshy, PhD, recently returned to his childhood hometown to share decades of occupational safety and health expertise at the University of Kerala’s conference on Global Perspectives on Sustainable Water Resource Management.

His presentation, “Protecting the Human Hands of Sustainability,” highlighted an often-overlooked part of sustainability efforts: the health and safety of workers facing extreme heat while managing critical water resources.

Dr. Koshy emphasized that public health serves as the bridge between technical science and real-world impact—turning knowledge into meaningful protection and support for people and communities.

We are proud to see our faculty contributing to global conversations on sustainability, worker safety, and public health. Rutgers School of Public Health

05/27/2026

⚽ In case you missed our May 11 webinar, “Protecting Public Health: Communicable Disease Preparedness for the 2026 FIFA World Cup,” the recording is now available on YouTube.

As the world prepares for one of the largest international sporting events, public health preparedness and cross-sector collaboration are more important than ever. This webinar explores strategies for communicable disease planning, response, and coordination ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

🎥 Watch the recording and join the conversation.

Join the NJDOH Regional Epidemiology Program for a Communicable Disease Forum focused on communicable disease preparedness and response during the FIFA World...

05/27/2026

We are thrilled to have a new team member at the Center! Alexandra Zivkovic is a Rutgers School of Public Health graduate and brings an impressive background in public health program coordination, administrative operations, and grant writing.

In her new role, she'll be helping to build and maintain data management and evaluation systems, supporting research activities, and ensuring compliance with institutional and grant requirements. Please join us in welcoming Alex!

05/23/2026

🚨It is the final day of National , and we invited some of the providers who have taken our training to reflect on the experience.

🚑 Our final feature is on Stephen Quinn from Capital Health EMS, who says the training had a big impact on how he interacts with patients. It changed both his perspective on substance use and the standard of compassionate care he tries to model for younger EMS providers.

05/23/2026

It is National , and we invited some of the providers who have taken our 5 Minutes to Help training to reflect on the experience. Meet Andrea Quinn, Director of Paramedic Science, Rowan University, who says the training has helped her develop meaningful curriculum content for her paramedic students.

05/22/2026

It is National EMS Week, and we invited some of the providers who have taken our Five Minutes to Help training to reflect on the experience. Meet Debra Norek-Buffalino, a seasoned EMT and CPR/BLS instructor committed to supporting individuals in their journey to recovery.

05/21/2026

It’s , and we’re proud to spotlight our 5 Minutes to Help program, which empowers first responders to help people with Substance Use Disorders (SUD) accept assistance and take steps toward recovery.

Every response is more than an emergency call. It’s an opportunity to offer compassion, dignity, support, and a path toward recovery.

Thank you to the dedicated EMS providers who show up every day for their communities and make a lasting impact. 🚑💙

Learn more at go.rutgers.edu/5Min2Help