Environmental Factor, December 2009, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

NIEHS Booth Wins Best Exhibit at APHA Meeting

By Robin Arnette
December 2009

Four women stand in front of an NIEHS exhibit booth

NIEHS and EHP staff members in front of the award-winning exhibit. Shown, left to right, are Myra Westmoreland (NIEHS), Mary Collins (EHP Contractor), Rita Hanson (EHP) and Martha Dimes (EHP). (Photo courtesy of Rita Hanson)

Close-up of the first-place blue ribbon on the NIEHS booth

The NIEHS first-place ribbon on display. (Photo courtesy of Rita Hanson)

A smiling man stands in front of the NIEHS booth and points to its first-place blue ribbon

Bernie Birnbaum, son of NIEHS and NTP Director Linda Birnbaum, Ph.D., showed off the blue ribbon with pride. (Photo courtesy of Bernie Birnbaum)

Several NIEHS employees represented the Institute at the American Public Health Association's (APHA) (http://www.apha.org/) 137th Annual Meeting and Exposition at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on November 7-11. Myra Westmoreland, Mary Collins, Martha Dimes and Rita Hanson were on hand at the NIEHS exhibit to meet attendees and answer questions about NIEHS. Little did they know that the exhibit would win first prize out of the many exhibit booths representing "non-profit organizations."

The 2009 APHA meeting had more than 12,000 attendees, 1,000 scientific sessions, and 600 companies, associations and programs in the Exhibit Hall. Members of the APHA Exhibit Advisory Council judged the best booth in each size category based on color, organization, creativity, eye appeal and design. They chose the NIEHS booth as the best in the 10 feet-by-20 feet category.

Even before the win, several dignitaries stopped by to admire the artwork. "APHA Executive Director Georges C. Benjamin, M.D., FACP, FACEP (Emeritus) (http://www.apha.org/about/board/bioBenjamin.htm) and U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin, M.D., M.B.A. (http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/) , stopped by our booth," Westmoreland noted. "It was an honor to meet both Dr. Benjamins."

U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin stands in front of the NIEHS booth

U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin stopped by to admire the NIEHS exhibit. (Photo courtesy of Myra Westmoreland)

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