By Donna Campisano, specialist, Communications, APHL
The APHL 2024 Annual Conference officially kicks off midday Monday, May 6, but there’s plenty to take in before the meeting gears up (and we’re not talking a Brewer’s game—they’re out of town).
Preconference workshops will cover important topics ranging from attracting and retaining a talented public health workforce to effective communication strategies to improving biosafety.
Take a deep dive into these and other topics from leaders in the field and gain not just hands-on knowledge, but competencies and continuing education credits. Here, some highlights of what’s planned:
Laboratory Design Matters: Improving Biosafety and Biosecurity Through Efficient Facility Design, Maintenance and Risk Assessment Practices
Part 1: May 5, 2024, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm CDT
Part 2: May 6, 2024, 8:00 am – 11:30 am CDT
Flyer •Registration • $499 fee • 9 hours credit
Ebola. Bird flu. Anthrax. Laboratory personnel deal with dangerous and potentially deadly pathogens as a matter of course. And that makes protecting those workers tantamount. This two-day, two-part, interactive workshop will highlight lab design, procedures and maintenance to optimize biosafety and biosecurity, helping to ensure that your lab, the people who work within it and the community that surrounds it are as safe as possible.
Making a Difference: A Workshop for Prospective APHL Global Health Consultants
May 5, 2024, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm CDT
Flyer •Registration • no fee • no credits
Public Health doesn’t just happen at home–it happens around the world. Learn more about APHL global health programs and how you can support them through consultancy. You’ll hear from consultants in the field and get an opportunity to engage in interactive exercises surrounding cultural sensitivity, safe travel and diplomacy.
Nonverbal Essentials for Success: Helpful Strategies for Scientific and Technical Communicators
May 6, 2024, 8:00–11:15 am CDT
Flyer •Registration • $149 fee • 3 hours credit
Nonverbal communication can tell as much of a story as the spoken or written word. Make sure you’re getting the right message across. This workshop will help public health laboratorians recognize, engage in and practice the use of effective nonverbal communication to help build stronger relationships with lab personnel, management and public health partners.
Communication Essentials: An Experiential Workshop on Messaging to Meet Your Laboratory’s Needs
May 6, 2024, 8:00–11:15 am CDT
Flyer •Registration • $149 fee • 3 hours credit
Lab work can be highly technical, but breaking down that important science into plain language is essential if you want to get those outside the lab—for example, legislators, funders and the public—behind your vision. This interactive workshop will not only teach you how to craft an effective message, but it will also give you experience presenting it.
Strategies and Model Practices for Hiring and Retaining the Best PHL Workforce Talent
May 6, 2024, 8:00–11:30 am CDT
Flyer •Registration • $149 fee • 3 hours credit
Hiring and retaining qualified public health laboratorians has long been a problem–and one that’s only been exacerbated by post-pandemic burnout, decreased funding and increasing work complexity. Building a robust public health workforce is essential for your current and future operations. How can you word job postings so they elicit response from top-tier applicants? How do you craft interview questions that lend themselves to insightful responses? What professional development offerings can you offer to staff to encourage them to stay? This workshop, intended for anyone who hires or onboards lab personnel, covers all that and more.
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