Name: Katia Harb
Position: Industrial Hygienist
Organization: Indoor Air and Environmental Services (IAES), Seattle, WA

Year graduated from UW DEH: 2000 (Undergraduate Program), 2002 (Graduate Program)
Degree: Environmental Health (2000), Environmental Health: Industrial Hygiene (2002)
Faculty Advisor: Jane Koenig

Describe your job:
I work as an Industrial Hygienist for a Seattle based industrial hygiene consulting firm. The bulk of my work involves indoor air quality (IAQ) and mold assessments. This includes diagnostic evaluations of ventilation systems, sampling for chemical and biological contaminants, communicating with concerned building occupants, providing recommendations to improve and maintain acceptable air quality, and writing mold remediation protocols.

I also assist companies with Washington Industrial Safety and Health Administration (WISHA) compliance by developing health and safety programs, conducting exposure assessments to chemicals, performing job hazard analyses, and training employees.

What do you find interesting or exciting about your job?

Each project is unique and challenging and I have the opportunity to work with people from a variety of backgrounds. IAQ assessments are challenging because of the many issues that may be involved with IAQ concerns. These issues include engineering and maintenance of ventilation systems, airborne contaminants, existing medical conditions, and human factors. I always find Industrial processes fascinating. I enjoy learning processes from beginning to end and finding ways to make them safer and more efficient.

Describe the path you took from UW to your present job:

I entered the undergraduate program with plans to continue on to the Industrial Hygiene graduate program. Four internships helped me gain experience and introduced me to many professionals in the field. Before I graduated in August 2002, I chose to work with IAES, a company where I worked as an intern, to gain additional experience with indoor air quality and mold.

How did your experience at UW DEH help prepare you for this position?

The coursework provided the technical background that is essential and the internships provided practical experience needed to apply the science to real life situations. The group projects and presentations were important in helping me communicate technical information to a variety of audiences. The skills I learned in the undergraduate technical writing course were invaluable for report writing and developing educational brochures. More than 50% of my time is spent writing reports.

What was the most valuable thing you learned at DEH?

Communicating environmental health issues to the general public
What advice would you have for students currently enrolled at DEH?
The field of environmental health is very broad. To find the path that is best for you, talk to professionals in the field, get involved with professional organizations, work as a research assistant, and complete an internship.

What opportunities exist in your sector for new graduates?

Things are a bit slow now because of the sluggish economy but consulting firms often have openings for new graduates.

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