Mission Statement | Organization of the Sunshine ERC

The University of South Florida Sunshine Education and Research Center (ERC) joined the ensemble of ERCs across the nation in 1997. Its programs include Industrial Hygiene, Occupational Health Nursing, Occupational Medicine, Occupational Safety and Occupational Health Psychology, Continuing Education and Outreach, Safety Management, Pilot Research Projects, NORA Research Programs and Hazardous Substance Continuing Education Training. Each program in the ERC works to train professionals, in the areas of Occupational Safety and Health. The ERC programs promote interdisciplinary interaction among professionals with varying backgrounds.

The Sunshine ERC is located in Tampa, on Florida's west central coast. Florida is the fourth largest state and has some of the highest workers' compensation costs nationally. The type of key industries (e.g. construction, mining and agriculture) that are associated with dangerous work activities, and the type that causes excesses of occupationally related injuries, accidents, and diseases are very prevalent in Florida. The Sunshine ERC is unique because of its strong interdisciplinary activities; use of distance learning for education programs; programs addressing under-representation of minorities; research focus on NORA priorities; recognition as a state and regional resource in occupational safety and health; and demonstration of strong internal/institution support.

Through its diversified research endeavors, improvements in the safety of the workplace and reductions of work-related accidents, injuries, deaths and toxic exposures are anticipated. The results will be a healthier and more productive workforce with an enhanced quality of life. Research efforts of the Sunshine ERC support the NIOSH, National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) and these efforts emphasize:

• Prevention of occupational asthma;
• Analysis of repetitive motion injuries and ergonomic controls;
• Management of indoor air quality;
• Function and use of personal protective equipment;
• Occupational infectious diseases including blood-borne pathogens;
• Strategies that integrate the principles of risk analysis and assessment; and
• Cost and quality issues of managed care for workers' compensation programs.

Organization of the Sunshine ERC

	Center Director:	Thomas Bernard, Ph.D., C.I.H.	tbernard@health.usf.edu
	Deputy Director:	Candace Burns, Ph.D.	cburns@health.usf.edu
	Occupational Medicine
	Director:	Stuart Brooks, M.D.	sbrooks@health.usf.edu
	Deputy Director of Research Training:	Thomas Truncale, D.O., M.P.H.	ttruncal@health.usf.edu
	Deputy Director of Clinical Programs:	Eve Hanna, M.D., M.S.P.H.	ehanna@mail.usf.edu
	Occupational Health Nursing
	Director	Candace Burns, Ph.D.	cburns@health.usf.edu
	Deputy Director	Helen Acree Conlon, DNP, MPH, MS, ARNP-BC, COHN-S	hacree@health.usf.edu
	Industrial Hygiene
	Director	Yehia Y. Hammad, Sc.D.	yhammad@health.usf.edu
	Deputy Director	Steven Mlynarek, Ph.D., C.I.H.	smlynare@health.usf.edu
	Occupational Safety
	Director	Thomas Bernard, Ph.D., C.I.H.	tbernard@health.usf.edu
	Deputy Director	P.G. Rentos, Ph.D.	prentos@health.usf.edu
	Occupational Health Psychology
	Director	Paul Spector, Ph.D.	spector@shell.cas.usf.edu
	Deputy Director	Tammy Allen, Ph.D.	tallen@shell.cas.usf.edu
	Pilot Research Projects
	Director	Yehia Y. Hammad, Sc.D.	yhammad@health.usf.edu

Mission Statement | Organization of the Sunshine ERC