Celebrating Analytical Science
We started The Analytical Scientist with a bold, three-word mission: recording, scrutinizing, celebrating. Over the coming months, we fulfil the latter to the extreme, cheering people, innovations – and humanity.
Hopefully by now, you are well aware that our next issue will be devoted to the “Top 40 Under 40” Power List, featuring the generation of personalities and pioneers that will lead our field down a bright and forward-thinking path. (Don’t worry, the Top 100 Power List will return in 2015.) Many thanks to all of you who nominated a colleague, student or friend; we are very much looking forward to sharing the reasons why. But that’s just the first instalment of our celebratory crusade.
Next up is innovation. The Analytical Scientist Innovation Awards – or TASIAs – burst onto the scene in December 2013 and garnered positive attention. We’d be foolish not to attempt a repeat and TASIA nominations are now open for a glorious end to the year. To get you in the right mood, innovation (and the creative juices necessary for its delivery) is a subject that Joeri Vercammen rather elegantly – and somewhat surprisingly – applies Lean philosophy to here
“That’s old hat,” I hear you say, “You’ve done both before. Surely, there is room for more celebration?” And you’re right. The final instalment of intense applause is reserved for ‘humanity’. Several months ago, The Analytical Scientist joined forces with Phenomenex to launch the Humanity in Science Award, which will be presented for the first time at Pittcon 2015 in New Orleans. The award recognizes an altruistic breakthrough in analytical science that has benefitted people worldwide, and rewards the winning individual or group with a rather handsome grand prize of $25,000.
If you or someone you know has developed a process, product or technology that is worthy of claiming the inaugural Humanity in Science Award, then it’s time to put pen to paper as submissions are now being accepted – but you only have until November 14. You can read the full details and entry criteria at www.humanityinscienceaward.com but, in short, you must write a letter of nomination or an essay that describes the work and how those efforts have impacted health and wellbeing. Perhaps the breakthrough has led to safer water, improved medicines or revolutionized an aspect of analytical science that has enhanced multiple fields. If so, we want to know about it – and draw attention to it.
And so, in the spirit of celebration and in anticipation of the many positive months ahead: Cheers! Salute! Proost! Kanpai! Santé! Gān bēi!
Rich Whitworth completed his studies in medical biochemistry at the University of Leicester, UK, in 1998. To cut a long story short, he escaped to Tokyo to spend five years working for the largest English language publisher in Japan. "Carving out a career in the megalopolis that is Tokyo changed my outlook forever. When seeing life through such a kaleidoscopic lens, it's hard not to get truly caught up in the moment." On returning to the UK, after a few false starts with grey, corporate publishers, Rich was snapped up by Texere Publishing, where he spearheaded the editorial development of The Analytical Scientist. "I feel honored to be part of the close-knit team that forged The Analytical Scientist – we've created a very fresh and forward-thinking publication." Rich is now also Content Director of Texere Publishing, the company behind The Analytical Scientist.
