The event was the fourth summit in a series of seven.  The series focuses on bringing together business and academia in industry sectors including Manufacturing, Information Technology, Bioscience, Energy, Financial Services, Allied Health, and Hospitality to establish a forum for the development of relevant curriculum that serves the needs of the employers in our service area and prepares students to become successful professionals with rewarding careers.

"Bioscience education is an imperative, as more and more we see opportunities for employment for our students in this growing field and the potential benefits on the health and welfare of us all.  This is a field of study that touches all aspects of our lives, and NVCC is proud to collaborate with industry partners as we design and implement new curriculum to support this vital industry,” said President De Filippis.

State Senator Joan V. Hartley noted that Connecticut is known for its trained workforce, and talent. She thanked the panel for their guidance on curriculum and job skills in bioscience and biotechnology, which are key industry sectors to the future of jobs in Connecticut.

Featured speakers whose career experience positions them as authorities on what students need to know to be job-ready in the field of bioscience included:

Todd Arnold, Ph.D., Managing Director, Mount Sinai Genetic Testing Laboratory, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Dan Caron, Vice President, Site Operations & Engineering, Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Duffy Felmlee, MS, CPO; Assistant Professor, University of Hartford, Clinician, Hanger Clinic

Josh Geballe, CEO, Core Informatics LLC

Caroline Hill, Ph.D., Staff Director, BioPharma Project Management, Bristol-Myers Squibb

Lesley Mara, J.D., Senior Director, CT Health Life Science Career Initiative

Walter Nakonechny, Associate Director of Genomic Medicine, The Jackson Laboratory

Joseph Oros, Regional Director, State Government Affairs - East, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Paul R. Pescatello, J.D./Ph.D., Senior Counsel and Executive Director, CBIA’s Connecticut Bioscience Growth Council, President/CEO, New England Biotech Association, Co-Chair, We Work for Health Connecticut.

Speakers were optimistic about the future of bioscience in Connecticut; they offered curriculum advice, internship opportunities, and professional anecdotes about the quality of life and work in the state of Connecticut and in this industry.