ISPE Mid-Atlantic Science & Technology Showcase Builds Commerce and Community for the BioHealth Capital Region
Last Thursday, May 10, approximately 400 industry and biotech professionals and 75 vendors from across the DMV came together for the ISPE Chesapeake Bay Chapter’s Mid-Atlantic Science and Technology (MAST) showcase in Bethesda, MD. BioBuzz was thrilled to partner with ISPE for this annual event showcasing the important work local vendors do for regional biotech companies, as well as the abundant opportunities the DMV offers both jobseekers and industry.
This year’s event was projected to be bigger and better with a new name, expanded programming and a new location. The event was held at the Bethesda North Marriott, a much larger venue than past years. The expo included vendors and companies like GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), REGENXBIO, Lonza and Miltenyi Biotec, all of whom came to recruit from the robust pool of talent that ISPE attracts. Here are what a few exhibitors had to say:
“This event is a great opportunity for any organizations in this area to network with each other, and potentially find some top talent. This is the first career event we’ve participated in and we’re excited to get our name out there and attract some talented employees.” –Tracy Merrell, HR Business Partner, REGENXBIO (@REGENXBIO)
“Networking events like this have helped Frederick Community College students get internships and jobs in the industry. The networking collaborations that these events offer are amazing; I highly suggest that you come to these events if you’re looking for jobs because there’s so much out there in the biotechnology field here in Maryland.” – Dr. Judy Staveley, Program Director and Assistant Professor, Biotechnology program at Frederick Community College
“We’re part of ISPE and MAST because it’s a great way to get your name out there to other companies for potential business growth, but also to reach local vendors, contractors and engineers.” –Leslie Crotty, Vice President, Neu-Ion, Inc.
One of the highlights of the event was the Keynote Lunch speaker, Alan Holmer, Director of Corbus Pharmaceutical Holdings, Inc, and Chairman of the Board at the Metropolitan Washington D.C. Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF). In addition to his distinguished career in BioPharma, Mr. Holmer has a personal connection to CF: both of his children were born with the disease…and are both thriving today because of the incredible strides CFF’s venture philanthropy initiatives enabled. Watch for an upcoming article featuring highlights from Mr. Holmer’s keynote on BioBuzz.
In honor of CF Awareness Month, ISPE partnered with CFF to raise money for their cause by holding a raffle during MAST.
Learn more about all CFF does to drive research and improve the lives of people living with CF on their website.
In addition to the networking, learning and catching up with familiar colleagues onsite during MAST, attendees took to social media platforms Twitter and LinkedIn to share photos and other highlights from the event. Across Twitter alone, tweets with the event hashtag #MAST2018 reached more than 26,000 accounts generating more than 78,000 impressions! BioBuzz encouraged participants to tweet using the hashtag by offering a $100 prize to the most engaged attendee. Dr. Judy Staveley, who is a not only Program Director and Assistant Professor at Frederick Community College but also a prolific tweeter, won the contest hands-down.
@ISPE_CBA @FrederickCC #biotechnology #MAST2018 @BioBuzzMaryland pic.twitter.com/P9NBoIRfdV
— Dr. Judy Staveley 🔬 (@DrJudyStaveley) May 10, 2018
Another interactive element BioBuzz experimented with this year was recorded interviews with attendees, sponsors and content leaders. Stay tuned for an upcoming release of those interviews with more event takeaways!
Thanks to all who attended MAST, as well as to event sponsors Hydro Services and Supplies, O3 Sterilization Systems, High Purity Systems, Inc., Sequence Inc., Rockville Economic Development, Inc. and Evoqua Water Technologies.
If you couldn’t make it to MAST, be sure to check out our event calendar for upcoming local events and our regional map to discover more than 700 biohealth organizations located across the BioHealth Capital Region (BHCR) consisting of Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
Author: Maggie McGary, @maggielmcg
