ASCE700 - Applied AI for EHS - Core Certificate

Course Description:

The Applied AI for EHS Core Certificate prepares safety professionals to confidently and responsibly apply artificial intelligence (AI) within workplace safety operations. As a foundational program, it builds essential AI understanding while giving participants hands-on experience evaluating technologies, identifying meaningful opportunities within their own operational safety systems, and applying AI in ways that improve efficiency, strengthen risk management, and support better decision-making. Participants learn how to use AI responsibly, design governance safeguards and human oversight structures, and lead adoption with greater confidence in increasingly AI-enabled work environments. Offered in partnership with the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) this certificate is designed to help safety professionals develop practical capability, sound judgment, and credibility in the use of AI.

Instructors:

Marla D. Corson, PhD, CSP, is an executive safety leader, educator, and advisor with more than 20 years of experience in occupational safety, artificial intelligence applications, and organizational leadership across complex industries. Her work focuses on helping organizations translate emerging technologies into practical, responsible, and human-centered safety strategies.

As Founder and President of Corson Consulting & Speaking, LLC, Dr. Corson advises organizations on AI-enabled safety innovation. She is also an Adjunct Professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Advanced Safety Engineering and Management program, where she created and taught UAB’s first graduate-level course focused specifically on AI and workplace safety in fall 2025.

Her career includes senior leadership roles with Amazon, Nestlé Waters, Alcoa, and the United States Air Force, where she led large-scale initiatives in occupational safety, health, culture, and operational risk reduction across diverse organizations and workforces. She has also led the implementation of AI, data analytics, and machine learning applications in safety, contributing to improved decision-making, more proactive risk management, and measurable safety improvement.

In 2025, Dr. Corson was appointed to the ASSP AI Task Force, reflecting her leadership in shaping the future of artificial intelligence within the safety profession. She has presented nationally on AI and the future of safety, including leading multiple sessions at a National Safety Council annual conference in 2025, including AI-Powered Safety: Revolutionizing Workplace Health and Risk Management, and co-presenting at the 2024 Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) Global Learning Summit on How AI Is Going to Change Safety and the Safety Profession.

Dr. Corson holds a Ph.D. in Technology from Purdue University and a Master’s degree in Organizational Behavior from Brigham Young University.

Nia Jetter is an executive-level engineer with over 25 years of experience specializing in artificial intelligence, intelligent optimization, and control systems across aerospace, robotics, and technology innovation. Her role as a Senior Principal Technologist/Engineer in Robotics AI at Amazon represents one of the highest individual contributor levels, driving large-scale innovation in AI and autonomous systems. Her career includes contributions to major programs such as the ~$1B GPS IIF satellite project in the aerospace sector, where she played a pivotal role in shaping autonomy systems.

Nia has served on a NASA Scientific Advisory Board for Safe and Secure Assured Autonomy and regularly guest lectures on safe autonomous systems, aspects of AI, and related topics. She has also taught fundamental AI classes as part of the UN AI for Good Summit.

Nia is passionate about promoting STEM education and inclusion. She founded Distinguished Minds Institute, dba thinqueBytes®, a nonprofit that demystifies complex technologies through hands-on, creative learning. Her work globally, including teaching in Geneva, Ghana, and Tokyo, and her leadership in AI/ML education at Boeing have reinforced her commitment to making STEM accessible to all.

Nia earned a BS in Mathematics with Computer Science from MIT and a Master’s in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering with a focus on Dynamics and Controls from Stanford University. Her career includes both executive leadership roles and practitioner roles that focus on innovation for successful insertion into production.

Learner Outcomes

Student Outcomes:

• Explain foundational AI concepts and their relevance to contemporary safety practice.
• Evaluate AI tools and technologies for appropriate use in workplace safety contexts through hands-on application.
• Analyze operational safety systems to identify opportunities where AI can add value.
• Assess AI use cases through the lens of responsible use, sound judgment, and professional credibility.
• Design governance safeguards and human oversight structures to support responsible AI implementation.
• Apply practical AI-enabled approaches to real-world safety challenges and work settings.
• Lead the responsible adoption of AI in workplace safety environments through informed decision-making and cross-functional collaboration.