Beyond the Technology: All the “Stuff” I Wish I Would Have Known Sooner

To be an effective process development professional, one has to master a wide range of chemistries, engineering disciplines, unit operations, and technical tools. This diversity of skills makes process development professionals some of the most versatile and sought-after engineers and scientists in the industry. Part of the beauty of a process development career is that one can be exposed to such a wide range of technical challenges and opportunities all while experiencing the journey of technology from its inception through its commercialization. More often than not, the pitfalls of advancing technology through the commercialization process have less to do with technical skill and much more to do with all the other “stuff.” A process development professional often sits at the interface of not only technology development and scale-up but at the interface of multiple functions, businesses, geographies, companies, and various styles of people as well. It is this interface of people and functions that can often be the make or break of a technology, and a well-placed process development professional can often help change an immiscible grouping of people into a miscible one. To do so often relies on experiences and skills that can’t be found in a book. This talk explores one person’s viewpoint on the other “stuff” that influences technology advancement and how to use it to one’s advantage in driving technology to commercialization.