Agenda

Friday, April 11, 2025

Symposium: Legal, Policy, and Advocacy in Occupational Safety and Health

Location details on logistics page

Speaker bios

• 8:00am - 8:30am Breakfast, Registration, & Networking

• 8:30am Welcoming Remarks & Introduction of Plenary Speaker 

  • Kermit Davis, PhD, Professor, Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati

• 8:30am - 9:30am Dark Waters: Legal and Health Aspects of the PFOA

  • Robert Bilott, Prominent Environmental Attorney, Author of the Critically Acclaimed Book, Exposure, the Inspiration Behind the Film Dark Waters, Starring Mark Ruffalo, and Lecturer at Yale School of Public Health

• 9:30am - 10:30am Networking Break and Posters (read poster abstracts here)

• 10:30am - 11:30am Flavoring-Related Lung Disease (Diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione) Cases

  • Adam Finkel, ScD, CIH, Adjunct Clinical Professor, Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan

• 11:30am - 12:15pm Advocacy Panel

  • Zeke McKinney, MD, MHI, MPH, Physician, Occupational Medicine and Research Investigator, HealthPartners Institute

  • Rebecca Reindel, MS, MPH, Safety and Health Director, AFL-CIO

  • Amira Adawe, MPH, Founder-Executive Director, Beautiwell; Instructor, Environmental Justice, University of Minnesota

• 12:15pm - 12:30pm Overview of Mock Trial and Afternoon Sessions

  • Kermit Davis, PhD, Professor, Environmental and Public Health Sciences, University of Cincinnati

• 12:30pm - 1:30pm Lunch and Presentations of Plaintiff and Defense Arguments

• 1:30pm - 3:00pm Breakout Sessions: Discuss case in small groups, reach a majority group decision, and provide reasoning behind decision. 

• 3:00pm - 4:00pm Networking Break and Posters (read poster abstracts here)

• 4:00pm - 6:00pm Jury Verdicts and Discussion

Social Gathering

6:45pm - 8:45pm Student Social (students only)

• Madtree Brewery, 3301 Madison Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45209

• Restaurant/brewpub

• Pay out of pocket (out of town attendees consult your university coordinator regarding what is needed for per diem reimbursement)

• Bus pick up at hotel at 6:30pm & drop off at Madtree

• Bus pick up at Madtree at 8:45pm & return to hotel

6:30pm Faculty/Staff Dinner 

• Options are Incline Public House, Hofbräuhaus, or Element Eatery (will call ahead and see which has space for group)

• Pay out of pocket (consult your university coordinator regarding what is needed for per diem reimbursement)

• Carpooling w/ Cincinnati group - meet in lobby after symposium to determine carpooling

• RSVP is required for this event as reservations need to be made (universities complete Google Form sent from Jessica Bloomer)