Welcome to the Leading Life Science Radio Podcast. I’m your host, Damien Wilpitz. I’m a life science research manager and consultant. I’m here to help scientists, and to help those who are managing to help the scientists to be successful.
Listen to my own life science journey.
In this radio podcast, we’ll explore current practices and strategies taken by some of the most respected life science leaders of today. We’ll be hosting guests who lead independent or academic research labs, start-up pharmaceuticals and biotech entrepreneurs, and other operational support leaders (VPs, COOs, Managers, and the like.) We’ll explore some of the following lessons; what steps they’ve taken to reach their current scientific goals, what unexpected challenges they’ve faced along the way, and what tools and skills that have been critical to their success.
We’ll listen to what advice they would give to those who are also willing to pursue a career in leading life sciences.
Again thank you for joining and welcome to the Leading Life Science Radio Podcast.
My Origins Story
My goal as a researcher and a businessman is to offer help to science and the people who make it happen.
I believe that science has the answers to the questions that ails us.
Throughout time, science continually broadens our view and beliefs about the world around us. It has boosted our confidence and squelched our fears through knowledge. That knowledge in turns makes us fearless.
“Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less.”
― Marie Curie
It has been the most fearless members of our society who have dared to go against popular beliefs. They have braved persecution in the name of knowledge and enlightenment. These individuals and lone mavericks possess the qualities that most would describe a leader.
Many have studied leadership and the steps that these leaders have taken. However, few have ventured to pose these questions to those who fly at the leading fringes of our society. These lone wolves are scientists.
These "leaders" are artists and poets in their right mind. The difference is that their tools are not paint brushes or quills, but are data points and experimental assays. Their creativity comes in the designs of these experiments. They possess the imagination to visualize the connections to test those experiments.
Science has traditionally been seen as a lone venture. However, within the past millennia, the work has become technically expansive and ever more complicated. The challenges are confronted, on top of the inherent labyrinth of science.
There have been a merry band of followers to some of these artists, or lone wolves. These individuals begin to lead these followers, to teach them move in their likeness.
In my own journey some of my own heroes have been scientists. They are biologists, chemists, physicists, and the list goes on. I have always followed in their direction and have found my own skills and talent in that journey.
My tools have become financial spreadsheets and operational processes. They have helped me to facilitate the scientific discovery process and for those who journey down that path.
I have had the pleasure to be in the light of these leaders and many of them have been my mentors, my colleagues, and my friends. I, like those who follow them, have dedicated my talent and respect toward their vision.
In my journey, my aim is to find the tools and the lessons that have helped them to lead their followers. I hope to help their successors to gain and retain those successful leadership qualities.
For those qualities must be nurtured and honed, like their own experimental designs. This quality improves the quality of life for all.