Welcome to the San Diego Local Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (SDAIHA)
Welcome to the San Diego Local Section of the American Industrial Hygiene Association (SDAIHA)! We’re excited to be a part of this beautiful community dedicated to enhancing the science and practice of industrial hygiene.
Our mission:
To promote education, share knowledge, and build connections among those passionate about occupational and environmental health and safety.
President's Message:
San Diego, founded in 1769, is the birthplace of California. Just as this great state began here, I often find myself asking, where did your industrial hygiene career begin?
For most of us, it started when a mentor stepped in to stop us from spinning in circles and helped us find our professional direction. My own path was set when my first mentor pointed toward a Certified Industrial Hygienist (CIH) conducting an indoor air quality assessment on a movie studio set. As an intern just starting out in environmental and occupational health, my target was locked. I didn’t know it then, but my future was standing right in front of me.
Over the last decade, that spark has led me through a diverse landscape of industries—from aerospace facilities and airports to foundries, bakeries, prisons, and biotech firms. Every site visit and survey has reinforced the same core mission: protecting the health and safety of the common worker.
Now, as a CIH and CSP, I never imagined I’d end up here in "America’s Finest City," enjoying a Padres game alongside such a talented community of EHS professionals. But as we live and work in this "City in Motion," I have a call to action for all of you.
We have an ambitious agenda ahead. We are calling on all students from UC San Diego, San Diego State University, Southwestern College, Cuyamaca College, and beyond who share a passion for occupational health. We want to continue our strong partnerships with local organizations to advocate for our profession and inspire our community to engage with science.
I am truly grateful to have been elected President, and I welcome the challenge of keeping our professionals engaged and supported here in "Fightertown, USA." I invite you all to join us this year to grow your network and your knowledge—all the while staying classy, San Diego.
Hagop Jack Arouchian, MPH, CIH, CSP
SDAIHA 2026-27 President