Events and Meetings

Spring 2026: JST Honored with HSRM Safety Champion Award 

The Joint Safety Team (JST) was recognized for its continued leadership and excellence in promoting a proactive safety culture at the University of Minnesota. The Safety Champion Award was presented during the Health, Safety, and Risk Management (HSRM) Spring Safety Committee Chair Forum, which brings together safety committees from across the university to share departmental initiatives. Of all the groups nominated, JST was the only organization to meet all five rigorous nomination criteria.

The award highlights the success of JST’s CARE (Compliance, Awareness, Resources, and Education) initiatives, including lab walkthroughs, signage standardization, and safety training. Co-Presidents Homayra Tabassum Mumu and Jaya Jakhar accepted the award on behalf of JST.

Special thanks to all JST committee chairs and the approximately 80 Laboratory Safety Officers (LSOs) for their dedication to maintaining high safety standards across our research groups.

Spring 2025 Events by the Community Connections (CC) Committee – Joint Safety Team (JST)

This April, the Community Connections (CC) Committee of the Joint Safety Team (JST) organized two impactful events focused on promoting safety awareness in both industrial and academic research environments. These events brought together students, faculty, and professionals to foster meaningful conversations around safety practices and culture.

1. Industrial Visit to Sherwin Williams 

The CC Committee organized an industrial visit to Sherwin Williams’ headquarters in downtown Minneapolis. Participants toured four distinct analytical laboratory spaces, gaining firsthand exposure to industrial safety practices and infrastructure. The visit concluded with a lively panel discussion featuring Sherwin Williams scientists, who shared their insights on maintaining safety in research and development settings.

Special thanks to Hari, Senjuti, and Aditi from the CC Committee for leading the organization of this event.

2. Visit from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire (UWEC) Undergraduate Safety Team 

This event featured a collaborative exchange between the safety teams from UWEC and UMN. The visit began with opening remarks by Corbin, Vice President of the UWEC Safety Team, followed by guided lab tours of four CHEM and CEMS research spaces, led by Rupal, Raihana, Dani, and Senjuti. A panel of graduate students — Hari, Manu, Dani, Murphi, and Homayra — facilitated a discussion on implementing and promoting academic lab safety standards. The event concluded with a safety talk delivered by JST Co-President Raihana.
Special thanks to Rupal (Chair of the CC Committee), Lauren, and Jonathan for coordinating this successful visit.

Both events saw strong participation and served as valuable platforms for sharing safety knowledge across institutional and industrial boundaries. They underscored the importance of collaboration in building a proactive and inclusive safety culture.