Events

Events

Life Sciences Workforce Conference

June 2, 2021 | 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Virtual Conference

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The Life Sciences Workforce Conference is uniquely devoted to bringing together the life sciences industry and academia to discuss training of the next generation of leaders. The event provides an opportunity for industry professionals and academicians to hear from each other, and to hold meaningful conversations about education and training as well as career exploration and readiness. The 2021 Life Sciences Workforce Conference will be both informative and highly interactive with built in time for discussing topics together and developing solutions! 

View the 2021 Program

Agenda

10:00am – 10:15am

Welcome Remarks

  • Sunny Schwartz, Executive Director, MassBioEd
10:15am – 11:00am

MassBioEd’s 2021 Life Sciences Employment Outlook and Q&A

  • Karla Talanian, Director of Talent and Workforce Development, MassBioEd
11:00am – 12:00pm

Expanding the Pool of Workers: Specific Workforce Challenge Areas

Presentations and Facilitated Group Discussions:

  • Inspiring College Students to Pursue STEM Careers – Led by Fred Ledley, Director Center for Integration of Science and Industry at Bentley University and Liz Zulick, Director of Lowell Institute School at Northeastern University 
  • Ending Talent Wars: Growing the Clinical Research Talent Pool – Led by Manny Lazaro, Vice President, Global Clinical Development Operations at Jounce Therapeutics
  • Big Tech vs. Biotech: Winning the Competition for Talent in Data Science – Led by Jay Mattetal, Director, Oncology Bioscience at AstraZeneca and Sarita Pillai, Director of STEM & Workforce Success at Education Development Center
  • Hiring and Securing Foreign-Born Talent – Led by Jennifer Machat, Director, DEI Recruiting, Early Career & Talent Marketing at Sanofi
  • Meeting the Growing Demand for Biomanufacturing Talent – Led by Jeffrey Savard, Director of Biomanufacturing at Bristol Myers Squibb and Craig Meinhardt, Director, Engineering, Maintenance, and Utilities & Environmental, Health and Safety/Security at Pfizer
  • Building Inclusivity and Belonging Into Our Workplaces – Led by Wendy Richards, Director of CSR and Community Relations at Sanofi and Michael Lampa, Drug Discovery Scientist at Sanofi Genzyme
  • Shifting Strategies: Industry Opportunities to Fill the Talent Gap – Led by Krista Licata, Managing Director at LabCentral
12:00pm – 1:00pm Open Networking & Lunch Break
1:00pm – 1:55pm

Flexibility and Mobility of the New Workforce and Q&A

  • Mark Bamforth, Chief Executive Officer, Arranta Bio
  • Jacquelyn Fouse, Chief Executive Officer, Agios Pharmaceuticals
  • John Maraganore, Chief Executive Officer, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
  • Moderated by Sunny Schwartz, Executive Director, MassBioEd
1:55pm – 2:50pm

Expanding Landscape of the Life Sciences Across Massachusetts and Q&A

  • Opening Remarks by Christopher Murphy, Vice President and General Manager, Viral Vector Services, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Chair of the MassBioEd Board of Directors
  • Robert Coughlin, Managing Director – Life Sciences, JLL
  • Benjamin Bradford, Vice President of Membership and Economic Development, MassBio
  • Moderated by Rita Smith, Director, Business Human Resources, AbbVie
2:50pm – 3:00pm Conclusion

Featured Topics

MassBioEd’s 2021 Life Sciences Employment Outlook: Hot off the press, the report will be released in conjunction with the conference and will cover the effects of 2020 on the life sciences workforce – including COVID-19 and calls for racial equity – as well as historical trends in overall employment and hiring demand.

Expanding the Pool of Workers: Everyone agrees that supply of talent is not keeping up with the demand, and traditional ways of recruitment are not adequate.

  • How do we grow the pool of qualified job seekers?
  • How do college students view the viability and attractiveness of a career in biopharma relative to other fields?
  • What new innovations will ensure an inclusive culture as the workforce is diversified?

Flexibility and Mobility of the New Workforce: 2020 proved beyond a doubt that the traditional workplace and structure are not essential to a highly productive workforce. Companies are already hiring worldwide for certain positions with the intent of never bringing newcomers into a traditional work environment.

  • What should the future workforce look like?
  • How will the new workforce structure affect Massachusetts and the life sciences industry?

Expanding Landscape of the Life Sciences Across Massachusetts: Many companies have announced plans to construct new offices, labs, and especially biomanufacturing facilities in Massachusetts over the past year. Our talent supply was already inadequate for the demand.

  • Who will work in these new jobs?
  • How will Massachusetts meet this new level of demand?
  • Are new training mechanisms needed?