Dr. Rupkatha Bardhan

Dr. Rupkatha Bardhan is an Associate Professor of Occupational Safety and Health at Murray State University. She earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in August 2018. Her primary research/academic interests are in the areas of psychosocial stress at work and its long-term health effects in populations with high job demand. Her research program is centered on improving worker safety and health through occupational safety, health, and industrial hygiene practices. Her research accounts for both physical and mental health risks among workers and focuses on improving employee safety, health and well-being in various job sectors including healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing.

Courses taught at Murray State

OSH 310 Fire & Emergency Preparedness Preplanning
OSH 311 Hazardous Materials & Emergency Planning
OSH 536 Motor Fleet Safety
OSH 550 Safety and Health Program Management and Training
OSH 612 Disaster Management, Emergency Preparedness and Planning
OSH 655 Legal Aspects of Safety and Health
OSH 689 Industrial and Hazardous Waste Management

Education

Ph.D. (Environmental Health Sciences – Major: Environmental Health Sciences, Focus: Industrial Hygiene) University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2018
Doctoral Dissertation: Psychosocial job stress and oxidative stress in emergency department nurses
M.P.H. (Public Health – Major: Industrial Hygiene/Hazardous Substances) University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2011
B.Ed. (Education, Biology, Chemistry, Psychology) University of Burdwan, India, 2004
M.S. (Botany) University of Burdwan, India, 2002
B.S. (Biology/Botany Honors) University of Burdwan, India, 2000

Research support

2023-2025, Grant awarded: Committee for Institutional Studies and Research (CISR) MSU ($2857.04), Role: Principal Investigator (PI), Title: Physiological monitoring of heat stress in employees using real-time monitor.
2021, Grant awarded: BCSP Early-Stage Funding ($19,000), Role-Principal Investigator (PI), Title: Managing stress and fatigue among truck drivers.
2020, Grant awarded: Don B. Daily Safety Grant ($10,000) from AIST and SMA, Role- PI, Title: “Managing Heat Stress Related Injuries and Illness in the Iron and Steel Industry.”
2019-2021, Grant awarded: Committee for Institutional Studies and Research or CISR grant ($3000) as a PI. The project investigated job stress and long-term health effects in EMS professionals in Kentucky.
2015-201, Grant awarded: Back of the Envelope or BOTE grant ($20,000) as Co-PI. The project goal was to assess job stress and associations between Job Stress and Oxidative damage in ER Nurses.
2010-2011,Grant awarded: CDC- NIOSH Pilot Research Training Grant ($10,000) from Deep South ERC as PI. The project focused on Oxidative Damage in Occupationally Exposed Radiation Workers in the United States

Publications

Rupkatha Bardhan*, Traci Byrd, Psychosocial job stress and associated risk factors in Emergency Medical Service. Healthcare, 11, 976. Published: 29 March 2023 https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11070976
* Shows corresponding author role
Rupkatha Bardhan*, Traci Byrd, Julie Boyd, Workforce Management during the Time of COVID-19—Lessons Learned and Future Measures. COVID 2023, 3(1), 1-27; Published: 23 December 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/covid3010001
* Shows corresponding author role
Rupkatha Bardhan*, Traci Byrd, Julie Boyd, Safe Return to Work for Domestic Workers in the Time of COVID-19. COVID 2021, 1(3), 575-589 Published: 5 November 2021 https://doi.org/10.3390/covid1030048
* Shows corresponding author role
Rupkatha Bardhan, Karen Heaton, Melissa Davis, Peter Chen, Dale A Dickinson, Claudiu T Lungu. A Cross Sectional Study Evaluating Psychosocial Job Stress and Health Risk in Emergency Department Nurses. Int J Environ Res Public Health 16 (18) 2019 Sep 4, PMID: 31487874 doi: 10.3390/ijerph16183243
Rupkatha Bardhan, Melina Eaker, William Ryan Gaskins, Jacob Crissup, Managing Heat Stress-Related Injuries and Illness in an Iron and Steel Industry, AISTech 2021 — Proceedings of the Iron & Steel Technology Conference 29 June–1 July 2021, Nashville, Tenn., pg. 33-40. (Applied Research- Collaboration with Industry, Published with students) DOI10.33313/382/004 Read article.
Rupkatha Bardhan, Melina Eaker, William Ryan Gaskins, Jacob Crissup, A Guide to Manage Heat Stress Related Injuries and Illness in an Iron and Steel Industry, AIST Safety First Column, Oct 2021, Read article. (aist.org) (Applied Research- Collaboration with Industry, Published with students)
Rupkatha Bardhan, Elizabeth Maples, Rui-Ming Liu, Giuseppe Squadrito, Claudiu T Lungu. Antioxidant Rich Diet, Healthy Lifestyle and a Rigorous Radiation Exposure Control Program Protect Healthcare Employees from Radiation Induced Oxidative Damage; Bulletin of the Polytechnic Institute of IASI, Romania, May 9, 2015, Read article.

Certifications

2022: Certified Environmental Scientist (CES) credentialed by National Registry of Environmental Professionals
2017: Certified Safety Professional (CSP) Credentialed by Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP)
2016: Associate Safety Professional (ASP) Credentialed by Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP)

Professional experience prior to Murray State

2014-2018: NIOSH-ERC (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-Education and Research Centers) fellow/trainee in Environmental Health Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), School of Public Health
2011-2013: Safety Coordinator, US Pipe and Foundry, AL Works (Iron and Steel Industry), Bessemer, AL
2009-2011: NIOSH-ERC fellow/trainee in Public Health, Industrial Hygiene/Hazardous substances, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health, UAB
2010: Internship in Radiation Safety, Department of Occupational Health and Safety, UAB

Professional organizations

2021: Association for Iron & Steel Technology (AIST)
2021-2024: American Industrial Hygiene Association Standards Advisory Panel (SAP)
2019-: Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society (UAB)
2018-: American Industrial Hygiene Association Social Concerns Committee (SOC)
2014-: American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA)
2014-: American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP)
2015: Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE)

Honors and awards

2023- Lana Porter Open Access Research Initiative Award, Murray State University
2022- Don B Daily Safety Award awarded by Association for Iron and Steel Technology (AIST) Safety & Health Technology Committee (SHTC)
2021: Certificate of Recognition in appreciation for the presentation entitled “Managing Heat Stress Related Injuries and Illness in an Iron and Steel industry”, AISTech 2021
2019: Selected as a member of Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society, UAB
2018: Poster award recognized by Social Concerns Committee in Philadelphia in American Industrial Hygiene Conference (AIHCe)
2016: Best poster in session award in Baltimore in American Industrial Hygiene Conference (AIHce)
2016: Scholarship awarded from American Industrial Hygiene Association
2016: Recipient of Travel Sponsorship to CSTE Conference in New Orleans (South On)
2014-2018: CDC/NIOSH and ERC fellowship for doctoral studies
2009-2011: CDC/NIOSH and ERC fellowship for master’s studies