University of Findlay professor Timothy Murphy was at Lima Senior High School on Friday to promote the university’s Environmental Health, Safety and Sustainability program.
Craig Kelly | The Lima News
LIMA — Careers in science and technology continue to be in demand, and on Friday, a University of Findlay professor spoke to juniors and seniors at Lima Senior High School to promote what can be an overlooked field in STEM: environmental safety and sustainability.
Timothy Murphy spoke to two Lima Senior classes Friday, promoting a scientific field that he said can provide not only a wide variety of employment opportunities but also the satisfaction of making a positive impact on the world.
“There’s a sense of accomplishment,” he said. “Every day, you know that you’ve made a difference.”
The range of career possibilities in this field vary tremendously, Murphy said, ranging from working in industry and manufacturing to research opportunities to work in the public sector, even in the armed forces.
“They know what a doctor does or a lawyer or a dentist, but an environmental health and safety professional, they just don’t know about it,” he said. “It’s not on TV and it’s not in the news.”
Despite its relative anonymity, environmental safety careers can often start off with average annual salaries of $70,000 or higher, Murphy said, with job opportunities available from the coasts of Alaska to the deserts of New Mexico.
“Our program has a 100 percent job placement rate within six months,” he said.
Murphy lauded the University of Findlay’s Environmental Health, Safety and Sustainability program not just for its successful job prospects but also for its efforts in providing hands-on learning for students, both on campus and through paid internships. Coupled with competitive scholarship opportunities, students in this program can even graduate debt-free.
“Most students take two or three [internships],” he said. “You can put in your back pocket between $7,000 and $19,000 for 15 weeks. That’s good money.”
To learn more about the university’s Environmental Health, Safety and Sustainability program, go to https://bit.ly/47xn8NC.
