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Career Paths and Alumni
Career Paths
From cancer researchers to government policy analysts, airport health and safety managers, and industrial hygienists, the opportunities available to graduates with a Master of Science in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene are myriad and situated all around Canada and the world.
A survey conducted in 2018 found that 25% of respondents were first employed in the Education sector after graduation, 31% in Government, be it local, provincial or federal, 21% in Private Industry, and 15% in Consulting. 22% went on to further education after graduation from the program, including doctorates.
Meet our Alumni
Shayla Kaplen, Occupational Hygienist
Shayla Kaplen
Shayla is an accomplished occupational hygienist from the Class of 2024; she specializes in managing exposure to hazardous substances in healthcare, leveraging her background in biology and extensive experience at WorkSafeBC. After completing her MSc in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene at UBC, she returned to Providence Health Care, where they focus on risk assessments, exposure control, and staff training, all while advocating for worker safety and well-being.
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Levi Kimble, Senior Industrial Hygienist
Levi Kimble
Levi is a Senior Industrial Hygienist from the Class of 2014; he consults across various industries—including mining, construction, and film—providing services like indoor air quality assessments and exposure risk management. After initially entering the field through a role as a hazardous materials technician, he enhanced his expertise with a UBC MSc in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, which has been pivotal in his successful ten-year consulting career.
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Xiaocong Guo, PhD Candidate
Xiaocong (Maggie) Guo
Maggie is researching the health impacts of extreme heat on workers in British Columbia, particularly as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of heat events. She is committed to engaging with the broader community, fostering collaborations, and creating an interactive platform for better communication of heat risks. She decided to pursue a graduate degree at UBC driven by a passion for research and a desire to leverage a top-tier institution’s training and inclusive culture to maximize societal impact.
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Drew Lichty, Occupational Hygienist
Drew Lichty
Drew is an Occupational Hygienist from the Class of 2023; he specializes in health-related research initiatives with the BC Wildfire Service, focusing on mitigating exposure to wildfire smoke and other hazardous materials for firefighters. Using the skills acquired through the MSc in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene from UBC, he has developed comprehensive exposure assessment programs and implemented respiratory protection measures, ensuring the safety of those who protect British Columbia’s wilderness.
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Bianca Malouf, Manager Industrial Hygiene
Bianca Malouf
Bianca is the current Manager of Industrial Hygiene at Canadian National Railway from the class of 2012; she leads and updates comprehensive industrial hygiene programs, including Confined Space Entry and Hearing Conservation while fostering awareness and collaboration across the organization. With a diverse background managing health and safety initiatives in oil and gas, diamond mining, and construction, she has developed a robust skill set to tackle new challenges while empowering their team to promote a positive and safe work environment. Her journey, enriched by an MSc in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene from UBC, reflects a passion for industrial hygiene and a commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
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Mahdieh Bazyari, Safety Health and Environmental Manager
Mahdieh Bazyari
Mahdieh is a Safety Health and Environmental Manager from the Class of 2023; she provides leadership and technical guidance for safety and environmental initiatives in manufacturing and construction projects at Unilever. With a strong academic background, including two master’s degrees in HSE management and Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, she excels in promoting safety culture, managing compliance, and implementing effective health and safety systems to enhance operational efficiency and community well-being.