Last Tuesday, the Hiatt Career Center sponsored its third annual Biotech, Healthcare and Science Forum called "Discovery Without Borders." The forum began with a panel presentation followed by a question-and-answer session and 20-minute speed networking sessions. The event, which was held in Sherman Function Hall, drew 240 students, according to Joseph DuPont, director of Hiatt.

Twenty-five employers attended the forum, including high-profile companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and Shire Pharmaceuticals.

Provost Steve Goldstein '78 moderated the event, which included a panel composed of Glen Cowley '88, a research scientist at the Broad Institute; Robert Sackstein, a bone marrow transplant physician, biomedical researcher and professor at Harvard Medical School; and Amber Toll, director and senior human resources business partner for Shire Pharmaceuticals.

Goldstein directed each of his questions to a different panelist, asking what employers are looking for in students, how the medical and biotech industries have changed over the past years and the importance of collaboration between different professions, companies and countries in an age of globalization.

Sackstein, who was described by Goldstein as a man who professionally "wears many hats" because of his many areas of involvement in the medical industry, emphasized the necessity of pursuing a career that one is truly excited and passionate about.

"Identify yourself early on; what gets you out of bed in the morning? You want to find something that really captures your enthusiasm. … You will be amazed what you can do with only your own energy," said Sackstein.

When asked what would make a student an appealing hire to Shire Pharmaceuticals, Toll said that, in addition to having extensive experience in the lab and having several internships, the "softer skills" are also essential.

"The ability to work with other people and collaborate is very important; you must have a certain level of emotional intelligence. [A student should be] bright, open and able to get along with people. If you can't, we don't want to deal with it," said Toll.

Cowley spoke about the changes in biotechnology and the importance of communication and collaboration in a globalized world. Cowley said that when he was a student, the Internet was still in its infancy, and being global did not mean what it does today.

"Now being global means I am on the phone with people in Korea or Belgium at 8 o'clock at night. … Things have changed a lot in the last five or 10 years. … The ability to communicate clearly is essential; you don't have to be bilingual, but you must be able to communicate and explain your science," said Cowley.

Following the panel presentation was a 30-minute Q-and-A session, followed by speed networking, which gave students an opportunity to meet with prospective employers. Cary Weir Lytle '98, associate director of employer relations at Hiatt, gave the closing remarks.

Rachel Danzig '12, an HSSP major, said after the event, "I found the forum to be extremely educational and I feel like I was given a lot more information toward finding a job for next year. I am definitely glad I came."

"This year's forum was more helpful than last year['s] because I was able to gain more from the knowledge of all of the experts as I enter the workforce [next year]. It was also a great networking opportunity," said Natali Baner '12, a Neuroscience and Biology major who hopes to become a pediatric neurologist.

In an interview with the Justice, DuPont said that aside from looking at the curriculum and the capability of students, the connections that Brandeis maintains with its alumni was what allowed Hiatt to draw such prominent companies and organizations to the biotech forum.

"We can literally pick up the phone and say, ‘Can you come to this event? Can you help us champion [Brandeis] students?' … The fact that most people had a great experience at Brandeis makes them willing to do that," said DuPont.