The Semiahmoo Conference - from a student perspective

Every year the Semiahmoo Symposium on Environmental and Occupational Public Health brings together faculty, staff and students from The University of Washington, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, Oregon State University, and the University of Victoria. The conference provides attendees with a forum to share new ideas and current or evolving research.

This year, several NWCOHS students attended the conference and shared their experiences:

Grant Quiller and Darrick Dickerson, both students in the exposure science MS program, experienced all of the excitement of Semiahmoo first hand.

Grant, a second year student, is currently working with DEOHS faculty members June Spector, PhD and Kris Ebi, PhD to research outdoor occupational heat exposures under the context of a changing climate.

"Climate change was a common theme presented throughout the conference" said Grant, "As we progress as public health professionals, climate change will impact our decisions and recommendations for both policy and prevention."

Darrick, a first year MS student, experienced Semiahmoo for the first time this year and described it as "an amazing experience for students and faculty to network with colleagues from all over the Pacific Northwest."

Darrick felt the conference was beneficial to his progress as a first year student because it allowed him to "form new ideas, hear about other people's research, ask questions, and establish friendships with students and faculty who share the common interest of public health."

Both students found the poster session to be a highlight of the conference. "It gave me a chance to ask in-depth questions, and have discussions that I couldn't have had during their regular presentations," said Darrick.