BioBuzz Announces New Bioprocessing & Manufacturing Steering Committee to Guide Regional Programming and Workforce Initiatives
New Bioprocessing & Manufacturing Community Aims to Foster Stronger Connections Between Biomanufacturing Employers and Jobseekers
BALTIMORE, MD (October 24, 2022) – BioBuzz Media, a community and events platform that connects innovation economies and advances careers in life science ecosystems, today announced the formation of the Bioprocessing & Manufacturing Steering Committee. The role of the committee will be to identify and prioritize the important topics, challenges and opportunities for industry professionals and job seekers within the field to guide BioBuzz programming and workforce initiatives.
The Company’s event series by the same name represents an evolution of the monthly events series that BioBuzz has been hosting for the past twelve years. BioBuzz launched the Bioprocessing & Manufacturing Meetup series in August 2022 to build a stronger community within the biomanufacturing workforce and help jobseekers find fulfilling careers in this growing industry.
“With the tremendous growth of the biomanufacturing industry there is a need all over the nation, particularly in Maryland, for more talent. This monthly program was established to better connect three important groups in the field—those who are already deeply rooted in their careers, those who are looking to grow their careers and those who are looking for an opportunity to enter the industry. The steering committee serves to establish the structure that bridges the gap between these groups and grow the community at large.”
-Ezekiel Kelley, Director of Operations & Workforce Solutions at BioBuzz Media/Workforce Genetics
The committee is purposefully comprised of industry professionals across a multitude of career levels, from senior executives to graduate students.
Steering Committee:
- Peter Alexander, PhD – Independent Biopharmaceutical Consultant
- Michael Degaga – Associate Scientist, Cell and Gene Therapy, AstraZeneca
- Nathan Forrest – Principal, Managing Partner, ABIO
- Chidera Igbokwe – Senior Bioprocess Engineer, GSK
- Kevin Knapstein – Senior Bioprocess Specialist, Delta Project Management
- Daphne Knudsen – PhD Candidate, Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Maryland, College Park
- Aashli Pathni – PhD Candidate, Molecular and Cellular Biology, University of Maryland, College Park
- Ben Woodard – Project Manager and Business Development Partner, ABIO
“I joined the BioBuzz Steering Committee for a number of reasons. As a hiring manager in the competitive biotech space here in Maryland, I recognize a need for better ways to train people for biotech careers and connect them to hiring managers seeking their skills,” said Peter Alexander, PhD. “Through Workforce Genetics and the BioBuzz Community, we have been developing programs to expand our outreach to workers in our region that may not know that they too can have a great career in biotech. By blending workforce training programs like Biotech Bootcamps and webinar series with recruiting and networking, we have a great opportunity to satisfy a growing need for skilled talent in biotech while creating new and lucrative job opportunities for people seeking a rewarding career.”
“I’m thrilled to be a part of the Bioprocessing & Manufacturing Steering Committee because many graduate students, including myself, struggle to network with people outside of academia, so I’m here to connect them. There is a lot of interest in non-academic jobs among current graduate students and post-docs alike, and connecting with people in our region is the best way to learn what exciting opportunities are available,” added Daphne Knudsen.
Learn more about BioBuzz’s Bioprocessing & Manufacturing Meetups and how to get involved here: https://biobuzz.io/bioprocessing-manufacturing-meetup/
About BioBuzz Media
BioBuzz Media, a division of Workforce Genetics, LLC, is the go-to community platform for industry professionals and job seekers looking to plug into regional biotech communities. We meet our users where they are and enable them to learn about the employers and individuals driving biohealth innovation forward. Our mission is to create exceptional experiences that help life science professionals grow their careers and employers to grow their workforce.
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