Society for Occupational Health Psychology Newsletter Winter 2020 - Volume 24 SOHP President’s Column It is ironic that a year which began with endless puns about “seeing clearly” and “looking forward” is now characterized by obscurity and ambiguity. I count my blessings that my family and close friends have been spared all but a few close Inside this issue encounters with the more difficult aspects of this year. I am thankful for many things that have transpired in 2020, in SOHP President’s Column ........... 1 spite of (and in some cases because of) the hard reset and Eulogy for Kari Lindstrom………….3 continuing wake-up calls that this year has included. Looking Diversity Perspectives ................. 3 forward, I am filled with hope for all the potential that exists for improvements in 2021 and the years to come. COVID-19: Job Market ................. 4 SIOP Updates .............................. 5 I am confident that when it comes to the Society for Occupa- GSI Committee Updates .............. 5 Christopher Cunningham, PhD tional Health Psychology (SOHP), great things are already happening. Even in a “normal” year, I would be proud of the EAHOP Updates .......................... 6 SOHP President work that the SOHP Executive Committee has been doing. Success for AIHA 2020 ................ 6 University of Tennessee at This is especially true over the past few months, as we have NIOSH NPPTL Commentary ........ 8 Chattanooga focused our attention on improving our membership experi- Upcoming Conferences ............... 10 ence and offerings, increasing our public education and out- reach efforts, and strengthening our connections with the broader world of occupation- al health and safety professionals. Here are some specific highlights to note: Editorial Team A new SOHP newsletter editor – After the release of our previous newsletter, Dr. Gary Giumetti decided it was time to step down from his post as newsletter editor to focus on other priorities. Gary is missed and we are thankful that we have been able to add Dr. Kyle J. Page to our leadership team as our new newsletter editor. Kyle previously chaired the Graduate Student Issues Committee and acted as part of the communication team handling the Facebook portion of our social media. We are so grateful to have Kyle involved in this new post. Improved LinkedIn group – https://www.linkedin.com/groups/78908/ – Kyle J. Page, PhD Full access to professional networking and development opportunities is now reserved SOHP Newsletter Editor for interested and active SOHP members. Please use this amazing resource to share in- formation about work in the OHP domain, job opportunities, and internships. Also keep an eye our for SOHP-sponsored and facilitated events. Streamlined membership processing – http://sohp-online.org/membership/ – To take advantage of the many valuable SOHP benefits and maintain your professional identity as a member of SOHP, all you need to do is keep your SOHP membership active. We have updated our payment processing steps and improved membership-related messaging efforts. Please help us to continue this momentum by encouraging your col- leagues and students to join SOHP. Katrina Burch, PhD Production Editor New “Virtual Conversations” webinar series – SOHP’s Education & Training committee Associate Editors: (led by Dr. Ashley Nixon) hosted our first three events in September and October. First Jonathan Burlison up was Dr. Leslie Hammer, discussing Supervisor and Co-worker Support for Employees Lauren Murphy During and After COVID-19 Return to Work. Second, Dr. Carles Muntaner presented a talk entitled,Causation, Ontology, Racism, and Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA), with Class: Consequence of occupational gradients for additional professionals representing other mental health equity. Third, Dr. Tammy Allen dis- disciplines associated with occupational cussed Work and Nonwork Boundary Manage- health and safety being added over time. To ment in the Time of COVID-19. Stay tuned for our build initial momentum, MCOHP will hold next series of webinars in late winter and early quarterly virtual meetings with additional spring 2021. Note that these webinars are open electronic communications and digital tools to all interested individuals, including students to connect participants and support their and colleagues so please help to spread the word networking and collaboration. If you or your when you hear about future events in the series. colleagues are interested in participating in the MCOHP, contact David Ballard. Ongoing student-focused development events – [email protected] We are continuing to focus on supporting future OHP professionals through our efforts to develop This list of work is even more impressive when programming that directly addresses the needs we remember that SOHP is entirely run by volun- of our student members. Already this year, SOHP teers who all are simultaneously managing very has hosted two virtual events for students. Stay demanding personal work and nonwork lives. tuned for more details and let me know if you are What makes all of this possible, is a shared pas- interested in getting involved with these efforts sion and drive to continue building SOHP into the in any way (as a student or professional). home for OHP professionals to which we all can be proud to belong. Please join me in extending a Increasing collaboration with the international huge thank you to the incredible team of OHP OHP community – SOHP continues to be engaged professionals I get to work with as your current in efforts to coordinate international research, SOHP President. application, and education efforts pertaining to OHP. This is done largely through involvement On a less positive, yet still gratitude-filled note, with the International Coordinating Group for one of our most integral team members needs to OHP, as well as concerted efforts to engage inter- rotate off to manage other responsibilities. Dr. national collaborators in SOHP-supported events Songqi Liu has served a number of years as the such as our webinars and the ongoing Work, Membership manager for SOHP and we will miss Stress, and Health conference series. SOHP is not his involvement very much. We need to make a geographically specific organization and we sure that we can fill his shoes with another con- welcome worldwide members to our growing scientious professional. Any chance you might be professional network and family. By the way, the interested or know of someone else who might 2021 Work, Stress, and Health conference is still be looking for a new and meaningful service op- happening – stay tuned for details here: https:// portunity? If so, please reach out to me directly www.apa.org/wsh. at [email protected] so we can discuss the position and any questions you might have. New professional collaboration opportunities – Please also reach out to me if you were excited In November 2020, the SOHP Practice Committee by any of the other updates in this column or (led by Dr. David Ballard) launched a new Multi- newsletter and you would like to figure out how disciplinary Collaborative for Occupational Health to get more involved in SOHP operations. Professionals (MCOHP) as a hub to connect mem- bers from various occupational health and safety- No matter what the remainder of 2020 or all of related disciplines, industries, and professionals 2021 may bring us, remember that SOHP is a so- who work to promote worker health, safety, and ciety built by OHP professionals for OHP profes- performance. This collaborative will serve as a sionals. This society exists for your benefit and facilitated forum to identify common interests, you can help us to sustain and grow its impact by share knowledge, and develop joint opportunities maintaining your membership and participating for research and practice. in SOHP-related programming. Until our next MCOHP will initially be composed of interest- newsletter, best wishes from me and the entire ed members from SOHP and the American SOHP Executive Committee to you and yours! 2 Our Thoughts and Prayers for Kari Lindstrom (1946-2019) Professor Kari Lindstrom, Finland’s “Grand Old and in developing effective occupational health Man” of work and organizational psychology, died and safety interventions. He published hundreds in Porkkala, Finland on August the 3rd 2019 follow- of articles and numerous book chapters and edit- ing a prolonged illness. After graduating from the ed books on these topics. Along with colleagues in University of Helsinki and briefly working in the FIOH’s Department of Psychology, Kari had a re- field of vocational guidance, Kari started a long markable influence on the training of occupational and enormously productive career at the Finnish health and safety professionals in Finland and Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH) in 1969; abroad. His collaborations with researchers in the serving first as a clinical psychologist and continu- United States (including many at the National In- ing as a researcher, Department of Psychology stitute for Occupational Safety and Health), Eu- Pictured: Director (at the age of 32) and ultimately member rope and other Scandinavian countries were ex- Professor of FIOH’s Board of Directors. tensive and extremely productive. Kari Lindstrom As the Director of the Psychology Department, he He was the recipient of many honors throughout Written by: Joe Hurrell helped shift the focus away from behavioral neu- his career including being named to the College of Steve Sauter rotoxicology (the subject of his dissertation) to- Fellows of the European Academy of Occupational ward an emphasis on psychological and social fac- Health Psychology in 2006. He will be remem- tors in occupational and organizational health. He bered by his many national and international col- had a keen interest in the impact of psychosocial leagues as a true pioneer in the field of occupa- working conditions on mental and physical health tional health psychology. Diversity Perspectives: COVID-19 For months, we’ve been enjoying a little extra body. That stress varies from systemic racism, home time with our families and loved ones.