VCU SRM staff recognized and presented at conferences
July 23, 2023
This summer, VCU Safety and Risk Management (SRM) staff attended two conferences where staff received awards for accomplishments and presented, sharing their expertise with conference attendees.
SRM staff received awards at annual CSHEMA conference
VCU Safety and Risk Management (SRM) received three awards at the annual Campus Safety, Health, and Environmental Management Association (CSHEMA) conference on July 23 in Boston. At the conference, SRM staff was recognized and celebrated by fellow environmental health and safety professionals from higher education institutions across the country.
SRM staff received awards in the following categories: 
- 2023 Innovation Award for Resource Enhancement for a Large School for SRM’s collaboration with VCU Health on the pharmaceutical hazardous waste program. The program began by reviewing and analyzing disposal practices and regulatory compliance at the health system. It then made recommendations, implemented changes and educated staff, resulting in waste reduction and significant cost savings (approximately $143,000 since 2018). The effort was led by Larry Mendoza, laboratory safety officer, VCU Office of Chemical Safety, and Mark Emory, sustainability, HazMat and waste program director, VCU Health Safety Department.
- 2023 Innovation Award for Safety Culture for a Large School for SRM’s laboratory safety video series. The project — a collaboration between VCU Center on Health Disparities and VCU Environmental Health and Safety, with Larry Mendoza leading the project for SRM — produced a series of lab safety training videos for students with an emphasis on diversity in the sciences. The project was funded by a National Institutes of Health grant that focuses on training students from underrepresented backgrounds in biomedical sciences. Read the VCU News story here to learn more.
- 2023 Innovation Award for Process Improvement for a Large School for SRM’s role in developing the RedCap respiratory medical evaluation program used by the university and the health system. The program ensures that faculty, staff and students have access to respiratory protection while exposed to an environment that is contaminated with harmful dust, fibers, fumes, mists, gasses, vapors, smoke or biological agents in which engineering controls are not feasible or adequate to control exposure. The program made its debut during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic and allowed VCU Health employees to safely and effectively care for patients and continue other mission-essential work. The initiative was led by Theresa Conti, occupational health nurse, and Elise Nicewick, occupational health nurse, VCU Office of Occupational Safety and Health. Learn more about the program here.
Sue Kurgatt presents at 68th annual meeting of the Health Physics Society
In late July, Sue Kurgatt, radiation safety officer for SRM Environmental Health and Safety, attended the 68th annual meeting of the Health Physics Societyin Baltimore, Maryland. At the conference, she chaired the “Academic Health Physics” session and presented “Experience of a Cesium Irradiator Replacement in the midst of a pandemic.” During the session, 11 academic papers were presented and each presenter had 15 minutes to speak. Sue’s presentation, which was well-received by attendees, discussed the cesium irradiator replacement project at Massey Cancer Center, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy/National Nuclear Security Administration, Office of Radiological Security. The information she presented will help other universities still using cesium irradiators understand the process and challenges associated with decommissioning a high-activity radioactive material and incentives.
Please join us in congratulating these employees for their outstanding contributions to the health and safety of the VCU community.
Categories Awards & Recognition