May 12, 2022

Upcoming NIOSH Webinars to Focus on Technological Change, Robotics

NIOSH recently announced two new webinars scheduled to be held in June: one on the effects of technological change on work and well-being, and another on the role of robotics in the future of work. Registration for both webinars is free.

The webinar on technological change will take place on June 8 and will focus on work disparities. Scheduled speakers include NIOSH’s associate director for diversity and inclusion; the president of UNITE HERE! Local 362, which represents hospitality workers in Florida and South Carolina; and the chief executive officer of the Institute for Health Equity and Innovation. This webinar is part of NIOSH’s ongoing Expanding Research Partnerships Webinar Series, which is intended to connect researchers and practitioners from different disciplines to discuss challenges and opportunities in occupational health and safety. The NIOSH Office of Research Integration and the agency’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Office are co-hosting the event.

On June 22, the NIOSH webinar “The Role of Robotics in the Future of Work” will provide an overview of robotics trends, their implications for worker safety and health, and the agency’s Center for Occupational Robotics Research. According to NIOSH, presenters will also discuss ways to assess human-robot interaction safety risks as well as exoskeleton performance in differing temperatures. Scheduled speakers include the director of NIOSH’s Division of Safety Research and an assistant professor in the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering at The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. This webinar is the fifth installment in the NIOSH Future of Work Webinar Series. Previous webinars in this series have focused on topics such as technological job displacement and artificial intelligence.

More information about NIOSH’s Expanding Research Partnerships Webinar Series and Future of Work Webinar Series, including recordings of previous webinars, can be found on the agency’s website.