Rachel LeBlanc and Kamal Rashid
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester Massachusetts
Recent advances in strain development and microbial fermentation research along with new fermenter designs and single use technology has led to a significant increase in demands for individuals with specialized skills in fermentation technology. According to experts in the field, fermentation is an applied science, an underpinning technology. The majority of newcomers to the field have no track record in the area. The question will remain as to how we can provide the skill sets to these newcomers and what role academia can play in advancing the industry’s research and development efforts. At Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), we are purposefully integrated in order to be able to focus on the customer. We deliberately put the customer at the center and build our capabilities around their needs. We can demonstrate that in the fermentation industry through the work we do such as providing training and education to our students and industry professionals, providing contract services from benchtop to pilot scale operations, offering consulting services, providing joint research opportunities and offering access to our graduates for potential employment in the industry. This poster will highlight WPI’s efforts as an academic institution and the potential for collaborations in both research and workforce development.