Abstract
Although I had worked in the area of laboratory automation since 1994 through my affiliations with the University of Applied Sciences in Wiesbaden, Germany, and the National Institute of Standards and Technologies, LabAutomation'98 was the first conference I had ever attended on the subject. It was a great experience for me. Learning about what others were doing and getting unbiased feedback on my own work, plus the multitude of professional networking opportunities are still the most valuable attributes that LabAutomation and ALA have to offer me today.
From a professional point of view, the contacts that I have been able to make through volunteering for committees, authoring papers for JALA, and attending and presenting at ALA-sponsored events have been invaluable to me. I am also lucky to say that many long-term friendships have evolved out of my ALA activities.
Having been involved in this organization for more than eight years and seeing the organization grow, flex, and thrive has been a very rewarding experience to me. For example, the LabAutomation'98 meeting drew only a few hundred attendees. In contrast, LabAutomation'06 is expected to draw well over 4500 people to Palm Springs. Despite economic ups and downs since its inception in 1996, ALA has remained on solid footing and continues to grow and continuously improve. I am very excited about a variety of new conference and member offerings that ALA is planning to roll out in 2006.
In closing, I would like to take a moment to thank the many, many volunteers who have helped propel the organization to where it is today. As a nonprofit organization, we are highly dependent on our volunteers. Volunteers are our lifeblood. Therefore, we strongly encourage everyone who thinks they can contribute to ALA's mission to get involved. Assuming your continued support, I am looking forward to celebrating many more ALA anniversaries in the future.
Sincerely,
Torsten A. Staab, M.S., Dipl. Inform. (FH)
