Science conference to focus on human element

As solutions to problems such as disease and hunger become more and more complex, life science companies are competing to find workers with the right set of skills.

So, these companies are planning for the future.

IU Kelley School of Business and its Center for the Business of Life Sciences will present a conference Friday that will focus on education for workers going into Indiana’s life science companies and will address the change needed as the industry becomes increasingly complicated.

The conference, from 8 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at Cook Medical World Headquarters in Bloomington, will feature speakers from bio-manufacturing and research companies in Indiana, as well as representatives from IU, other Indiana colleges and state government.

George Telthorst, director of the Center for the Business of Life Sciences, said the point of the conference is to show what life science companies think they need in the future in terms of employee skill and what education systems in the state can do to meet it.

In short, he said, the conference will lay out what Indiana needs to do to match up workers’ skills with the industry’s opportunities so the state can stay competitive.

“We need a workforce that’s engaged,” Telthorst said.

Indiana is in the top six or seven life science states in country, he said, and the industry is an important economic engine.

To remain competitive, Telthorst said, Indiana needs more people who are comfortable and have a technical background, including the ability to use the metric system, do calculations and follow written instructions well.

He said providing the training, which would most likely need to be at least an associate’s degree, would give workers more opportunities.

Besides the technical training, employees must be able to solve problems and work in teams, said Ron Walker, president of the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation, which works with local life sciences companies.

New college graduates will benefit from a background in science, business and a knowledge of regulations, said Vicki Neddenriep, vice president of global human resources of Covance Central Laboratory Services, Inc.

Business people and scientists need to have some understanding of each other, Neddenriep said, and the biggest trend now is the continued advancement of complexity, which has resulted in more advanced products and technologies.

“We’re able to diagnose and treat diseases we’d never be able to treat 10 or 15 years ago,” she said.

The need for a grasp of scientific theory, math, interpersonal skills and business goes for employees with high degrees —  doctoral and master — as well as workers in a factory.

The days when corporate scientists could simply focus on science and not worry about the business side or team-based problem solving are over, said Kay Kuenker, vice president for new business development at Dow AgroSciences.

And, she said, companies are competing for those workers with the right set of technical and interpersonal skills.

“There is a talent war,” Kuenker said.

More information about the Center for the Business of Life Sciences, as well as the conference, visit www.kelley.iu.edu/cbls/.