Laurel Kincl

Laurel Kincl is a Professor and Associate Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs at Oregon State University’s College of Health, School of Nutrition and Public Health. She is actively engaged in research, teaching, and academic leadership, with a focus on occupational and environmental health. Her work spans high-risk industries such as commercial fishing, construction, logging, and healthcare.

• PhD in Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, University of Cincinnati
• MS in Industrial Hygiene, University of Cincinnati
• Research Fellow, Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Barcelona, Spain
• Research Associate, Labor Education and Research Center, University of Oregon

Dr. Kincl’s research centers on quantifying, communicating, and controlling occupational and environmental exposures to prevent adverse health outcomes. Her primary interests include exposure assessment, injury prevention, ergonomics, occupational epidemiology, and biomechanics. She leads multiple NIH- and CDC-funded projects, often involving community-engaged and interdisciplinary approaches.

Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in studying occupational hazards in commercial fishing and construction, with innovative use of exposure assessment tools like silicone wristbands and data linkage techniques. She also investigates the health impacts of environmental exposures such as wildfire smoke and PAHs, particularly on vulnerable worker populations. Her work frequently involves collaboration with public health agencies and industry stakeholders.

• NIH-funded research on commercial fishing safety
• CDC-supported injury surveillance projects
• Development of the RISC Fishing database
• Partnership with NIOSH on maritime safety
• Community-based environmental health monitoring

Dr. Kincl collaborates extensively with researchers such as Viktor Bovbjerg and Kim Anderson. She mentors graduate students and is involved in curriculum development related to occupational safety. She has contributed to the evaluation of safety training programs and the development of ergonomic interventions in masonry and seafood processing. Her leadership role as Associate Dean underscores her commitment to academic excellence and faculty development.

She leads the Occupational Safety and Health Laboratory and is affiliated with the Environmental and Occupational Health and Global Health programs. Her research has been featured in numerous media outlets, highlighting its real-world impact on worker safety and policy.