Abstract
Erik Rubin, Ph.D., 2009 ALA President
“These opportunities allow ALA to be introduced to new audiences by highly regarded authoritative entities …”
When ALA adopted its strategic plan in 2008, one important initiative was to advance the science and education of laboratory automation through the continued development of our organization's global identity, reach, and influence. Since then, the ALA Board of Directors and staff have worked to expand existing and cultivate new strategic relationships with targeted organizations and thought leaders. Progress has been impressive and productive and, as planned and hoped, is encouraging the amalgamation of ALA among key industries, academia, government, and continents.
In spring, the first VIP educational delegation of ALA traveled to DECHEMA in Frankfurt, Germany. 2009 ALA Innovation Award winner Hyongsok (Tom) Soh and finalists Darryl Bornhop, Leo Chan, Vincent Gau, Larry Gold, Klavs Jensen, Fred King, and Gavin Reid graciously shared their celebrated LabAutomation2009 presentations and launched the first of what will be an ongoing international educational exchange with ACHEMA. Next year, ALA Innovation Award finalists will travel to ACHEMAsia in Beijing, China, to share their LabAutomation2010 presentations. These opportunities allow ALA to be introduced to new audiences by highly regarded authoritative entities, reinforcing ALA's position as a global leader, advancing its mission of education, and attracting new interest and members in the process.
New cooperative arrangements with Miptec of Switzerland, Peking University of China, Chemtech Foundation of India, and IEEE Robotics & Automation Society, PITTCON and the NSF-funded Analytical Sciences Digital Library of the United States are fostering educational exchanges to further increase ALA's reach and impact with new audiences and fuel LabAutomation, LabAutopedia, and JALA with valuable scientific content from new sources. Recent additions to scientific advisory panel of JALA also strengthen international influence of ALA and expand its perspective to include informed voices from China, Hong Kong, Switzerland, and Japan as well as the United States. In the meantime, existing working relationships with other international and U.S.-based professional societies remain strong. Mutually beneficial exchanges continue between ALA and BioAlps of Switzerland, American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition in Science and Technology), Institute for Food Technologists, Laboratory Robotics Interest Group, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology Education, and a growing list of major U.S. universities. Many of these programs are student focused, laying groundwork for the next generation of lab automation professionals.
By the time this page appears in print, ALA expects to have finalized several more important international educational coalitions. Please visit www.labautomation.org regularly to keep up with news and announcements of these and other ALA achievements and opportunities.
Sincerely,
