Post-Docs

Welcome + Keynote Address + Technology-focused Careers

Beyond the Lab Bench

Welcome to registrants; overview of presentations and what can be learned about long-term technology-driven career opportunities in Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic region. A highly educated science and engineering work force is often interested in exploring long-term career opportunities beyond bench research, and state and local governments are interested in retaining these individuals in or to build future economies driven by scientific discoveries and technological innovation. Such opportunities include:

• Technological entrepreneurship
• Management and finance
• New product/service development and marketing
• Government policy development & mission-oriented agency R&D
• Technology transfer to the private sector
• Development of technology-based entrepreneurship & innovation ecosystems

Panel discussion with question/answer session seeks to make attendees aware of such opportunities in Maryland and in the five state Mid-Atlantic region: MD, VA, DE, PA, WVA

Introduction:
Jayan Rammohan, Ph.D., NIST Post-Doc Association

Moderator:
John Fraser, CLP, RTTP, Assoc. VP, Research (RET), Florida State University

Speakers:
Javier Atencia, Ph.D., Entrepreneur, founder of PathOtrak, LLC; former NIST Post-Doc; Research Professor, UMD
Ernesto Chanona, Senior Manager, Office of BioHealth and Life Sciences, Maryland Department of Commerce
Walter Copan, Ph.D., Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director
John Curry, Ph.D., Entrepreneur, founder, acting CEO, CTO, Parman Tech, LLC; former Senior NIST Scientist
Jennifer Leinbach, Executive Director, Pa. DCED Office of Technology & Innovation

The Mid-Atlantic Ecosystem

An overview of the five state Mid-Atlantic region─ the most densely populated geographic area with Federal Government laboratories, engineering facilities and technical operations. As such, over more than 40 years, perhaps as far back as WWII, the region has experienced the evolution of world-class academic institutions, has attracted a discipline-diversified professional workforce, and has experienced the evolution of some highly specialized science and technology-driven entrepreneurship ecosystems that might soon rival those on the West Coast and Boston. These ecosystems provide opportunities for robust economic growth and impressive long-term career opportunities for scientists, engineers, and other technical professionals.

Moderator:
Christy Blake, Special Projects Manager, Montgomery County [MD] Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC)

Speakers:
Ernesto Chanona, Senior Manager, Office of BioHealth and Life Sciences, Maryland Department of Commerce
Thomas Weithman, Center for Innovative Technology (CIT), Managing Director and Vice President

Mid-Atlantic STEM, Innovation & Entrepreneurship

Building from the immediate previous event, a deeper dive into the STEM-driven career opportunities offered in the Mid-Atlantic region, especially the commitments made by state and local governments to promote and attract technology driven businesses to the region and to attract and retain a highly-qualified work force to support these businesses.

Moderator:
Jack Pevenstein, Ph.D., P.E., NIST Tech Transfer Advisor, Senior General Engineer, Federal Laboratory Consortium, Mid-Atlantic [FLC-MA] Regional Coordinator

Speakers:
John P. Holden, Director of Economic Development and Tourism, Stafford County Va.
Rebecca A. Styn, Ph.D., Erie Management Group, Director of Community Investment, Erie, Pa.
Robel Worku, Economic Development Specialist, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation

Mid-Atlantic Career Opportunities

Practical advice for attendees on networking within the MA region ecosystems, access to training and assistance resources, ecosystem communities and innovation/entrepreneurship clusters

Moderator:
Steven M. Ferguson, CLP, NIH Office of Tech Transfer

Speakers:
Stephen Auvil, Executive Vice President, Programs, Maryland Technology Development Corp. (TEDCO)
David Ihrie, Chief Technology Officer, Center for Innovative Technology (CIT)
Omar Mencin, DBA, Senior Director of Investments, Investment Group, Ben Franklin Technology Partners
Randy Ribaudo, Ph.D., Co-Founder of SciPhD; and ex-NIH and ex-Celera