# Wanted: NAVSAFENVTRACEN Seeks PDS Speakers and Sponsors

## From Amy Robinson, Naval Safety Command Safety Promotions-Public Affairs 

The Naval Safety and Environmental Training Center (NAVSAFENVTRACEN) is currently seeking breakout session presenters and claimant meeting sponsors for its 32nd annual Joint Safety and Environmental Professional Development Symposium (PDS), which will be held virtually April 22-26, 2024.

The PDS is a free event that provides opportunities for Department of Defense professionals – uniformed and civilian – to exchange ideas, discuss developing trends and share knowledge in the fields of safety and occupational health, environmental protection and industrial hygiene.

“We are looking forward to another successful symposium, where safety professionals worldwide can come together virtually to share information, which not only serves to strengthen our collective safety knowledge base but will result in a more effective safety culture,” said Cmdr. Nicholas Schaal, NAVSAFENVTRACEN’s commanding officer.

Last year's PDS provided a platform with over 90 educational sessions that attracted more than 2,700 registered participants from 50 states, one U.S. territory and 20 countries. Attendees came from diverse backgrounds, including safety, industrial hygiene, environmental science, occupational health, public health, radiation health and occupational medicine.

Conducting the symposium online allows even more participation and all attendees will receive a certificate documenting their time attended. The training center will also provide a point of contact to assist presenters before the event and a session moderator during the event as well, as training on how to engage the audience effectively during the virtual conference.

The training center invites and encourages presenters from government, industry and academic agencies to share their expertise on topics including environmental protection, general safety, health and safety for disaster response and recovery, industrial hygiene, occupational medicine, occupational safety and health, operational safety, radiation and laser safety and other trending topics.

Those interested in presenting during the symposium must submit their proposals online to NAVSAFENVTRACEN by Jan. 24, 2024, at http://jointpds.adobeconnect.com/pds2024presenters/event/registration.html. Information from approved proposals will be shared with registered attendees; therefore, all information must be unclassified and publicly releasable.

On the first day of the PDS, claimant meetings will provide a chance for up to 15 organizations to host one-day conferences. Here, each organization can tailor the sessions to their specific needs and cover areas such as training, updates, trends and more. Sponsors interested in this opportunity can also submit their meeting content by Jan. 24 using unclassified, publicly releasable information online at http://jointpds.adobeconnect.com/pds2024presenters/event/speaker_info.html.

The PDS committee will send session approval notifications by Feb. 12, 2024. For additional questions or information on the upcoming Joint Safety and Environmental PDS, email the committee at NAVSAFENVTRACEN_JOINT_PDS@navy.mil.