Industry partners actively participate in all parts of the association.
By Dale Eric Wurster, Ph.D., FAAPS, President
In just a few short weeks, PharmSci 360 will bring together thousands of scientists to exchange information and ideas, to network, and to expand the overall scientific body of the pharmaceutical sciences, which ultimately leads to novel products and therapies that improve global health. PharmSci 360 is a huge undertaking, requiring passionate input from hundreds of our members who submitted poster abstracts, agreed to deliver oral presentations, or will drive open discussion through the Rapid Fire sessions. And there have been many more volunteers who have served on committees that evaluated program submissions, reviewed/scored abstracts, and provided support for the conference. It is through this collective work that AAPS members move the pharmaceutical sciences forward.
Last year, AAPS introduced a “thank you wall,” which returns again this year, listing all of the volunteers who helped with the meeting. The wall expresses our gratitude to these individuals and highlights how many members contribute to PharmSci 360 annually. Members will view names on that wall and take selfies again this year. We are very proud of our colleagues and grateful for their service.
What one may overlook are the logos of the partners (industrial and exhibitor) that also make PharmSci 360 a premier scientific event. Those logos appear on another “thank you wall.” I want to recognize them, too. AAPS partners do more than simply sponsor ads and hang banners. Our partners are both scientific experts in their fields and active participants in all parts of PharmSci 360. They encourage their employees to submit poster abstracts, give them clearance to speak on cutting-edge topics, encourage them to submit journal manuscripts, provide them time to serve on AAPS committees, and support the growth of our science by dedicating budgets to sponsor dinners, travelships, and other programs where scientists from all over the world can exchange views and build networks.
AAPS seeks greater involvement with partners who want their employees to share their science and who support the growth of the pharmaceutical sciences for their own sake and the global health solutions they provide to people across the world. That is part of the reason why AAPS works closely with these technical partners, collaborating with them to bring their best technology and insights into AAPS’ educational spaces.
AAPS posters provide an excellent example of the quality, depth, and breadth of the sciences submitters provide. The association uses a blind screening and scoring system. Every poster, irrespective of its origin, must meet the same scientific standard. There is a balance of presentations from academia and industry; you may not realize that more than 40 percent of the posters at PharmSci 360 are authored by industry and exhibitor members.
I am very pleased to see more educational spaces being added to the PharmSci 360 Solution Center this year. There will be Software Lab sessions, Tech and Innovation Challenges, and dozens of Partner Presentations. What was once an exhibit hall is looking much more like an educational space focused on the challenge of understanding the latest technology and services, as well as their applications. This is not limited to PharmSci 360. AAPS involves partners and their employees in year-round programming including workshops, online learning, and other arenas.
Partners also power our Career Development Center at PharmSci 360, where recruiters interview candidates as well as mentor job seekers on their résumés and LinkedIn profiles. Job seekers receive many good leads at PharmSci 360—where else could one meet so many scientists from so many backgrounds?
The interrelationships between industry, exhibitors, academia, and government can be complex, but they have never been difficult for AAPS. As an organization, we are continually grateful to the industry-based scientists who are members of AAPS and the partners who see AAPS’ role in the growth and development of their employees. I wish to personally thank our partners for their participation in, and contributions to, PharmSci 360.