Researchers at colleges, universities invited to apply for $30,000 grant by Oct. 20

(PORTLAND, ME) — The MEMIC Safety Research Center is accepting applications for a grant of up to $30,000 to engage in research that makes a positive impact on workforce safety and health.

This is the third round of grants offered by the MEMIC Safety Research Center, created in 2021 to facilitate understanding and prevention of occupational injury and illness in partnership with MEMIC staff, policyholders, and academia. Funding in the 2023 round is available to researchers from higher education institutions in the United States and its territories.

MEMIC Group President & CEO Michael Bourque said the grant program’s third year will add to beneficial workforce safety research begun in 2021.

“We are excited to continue the program and see it flourish,” Bourque said.  “MEMIC Safety Research Center grants are an opportunity for researchers to intensively examine workforce safety challenges, gain high-profile publicity for their work, and create positive change for the American workforce in partnership with MEMIC. Research generated by this program will be integrated with the work of expert MEMIC Loss Control professionals who are continuously implementing real-time safety solutions.”

The MEMIC Safety Research Center made its first-ever award in 2021 to a faculty team at Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Department of Safety Sciences investigating ways to limit slips, trips, and falls in the workplace. In 2022, a research team at Illinois State University began MEMIC-funded research into how wearable technologies can best benefit workers.

“The MEMIC funding is essential as we strive to keep new technology at the forefront of our research, giving us the opportunity to understand how new technology can be used to address a historically problematic hazard on construction sites,” said Dr. Wanda Minnick, lead researcher for the Indiana University of Pennsylvania team. “This type of applied research is fundamental in developing interventions to minimize the likelihood of slips, trips, and falls.”

The MEMIC Safety Research Center was launched as part of The MEMIC Group’s mission to make workers’ comp work better with compassion, trusted partnerships, and relentless commitment to workforce safety.

“We look forward to this year’s proposals and innovative applications of research findings.” MEMIC Vice President of Loss Control & Safety Services Maryann Hoff said. “By working closely with policyholders over the past 30 years, MEMIC’s safety experts have reduced the probability of occupational injuries and illnesses by directly observing, collecting, and analyzing data to identify the root causes of injuries and provide practical preventive solutions.

Proposals for 2023 MEMIC Safety Research Center grants must be submitted online via the proposal submission form by Oct. 20. Grants will be awarded in November.

Funded projects must be completed within two years, and results disseminated through peer reviewed journals or via published thesis or dissertation. Updates on research progress must be provided on a semi-annual basis. Proposals must clearly indicate short- and long-term impacts to workforce safety and health.

Clayton Cartwright, safety management consultant now leading the Safety Research Center, encourages applicants to “support the continuous improvement of workforce safety.” 

Visit memic.com/research for more information about The MEMIC Safety Research Center and a full description of application requirements. Visit https://www.memic.com/research-center/published-work to view a list of peer-reviewed articles published by members of MEMIC’s Loss Control Department.

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About MEMIC
The MEMIC Group includes MEMIC Indemnity Company, MEMIC Casualty Company, and parent company Maine Employers’ Mutual Insurance Company; all rated “A” (Excellent) by A.M. Best. The MEMIC Group holds licenses to write workers’ compensation across the entire country. The group insures and serves more than 20,000 employers and their estimated 300,000 employees with dedicated safety and injury management service teams from Maine to Florida.

In 2022 photo above, an Illinois State University research team received $30,000 from MEMIC to study wearable technologies and their applicability in the workplace.