ARE TOO MANY TALENTED SCIENTISTS LEAVING THE SOUTHEAST?

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BIO TECH BRAIN DRAIN:

August 5, 2008

By Karen Ventii, Ph.D.

The Southeastern United States has long been recognized for producing talented scientists and technicians. But are too many of them leaving the Southeast to find jobs?

The area, which encompasses about seven states, is also becoming known as one of the fastest growing regions for life sciences and biotech industries.

Still, it is evident that the industry is not yet large enough to support the job needs of the growing number of talented graduates (such as specialized laboratory technicians and Ph.D., M.D. and MPH-holders) who want to stay in the region after graduating.

The idea that so many young scientists and technicians tend to emigrate to other parts of the country after getting their education in the Southeast is being referred to by some as the Brain Drain.

It appears that the industry is aware of this Brain Drain and new programs and initiatives are being implemented to address it.

The states of Georgia, North Carolina and Florida are representative Southeastern states and the problems they face-and solutions they create-are likely to reflect on other neighboring states.

Georgia
According to the U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, the number of postsecondary educational institutions in Georgia is higher than the national average and in 2005 the state produced 1,225 Ph.D. graduates.

Unfortunately, Georgia's growing biotech industry, which is made up of approximately 250 companies, does not produce enough jobs to retain the majority of them.

According to Katharine G Caesar Montgomery MSc MBA, Manager for Industrial Relations and Technology Transfer, Georgia Tech/Emory Center for the Engineering of Living Tissues Parker H Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, the Brain Drain on the biotech industry occurs primarily because of a combination of lack of jobs for students and an inability to connect students with open jobs.
These sentiments are echoed by Sebastien Henry, Research & Development Director at Porex Surgical Inc., a biomedical device company based in Newnan GA. Mr. Henry, having himself been educated in Georgia, personally knows the struggle to remain and work in the local biotech industry.

For months after graduating from Georgia Tech with a degree in bioengineering, he was encouraged by career advisers to leave the state, as Atlanta did not have great job prospects in his field. Finally, through concerted networking efforts on his part within Georgia Bio (and it's young professional arm called the Emerging Leader's Network), a private, non-profit organization that promotes the interests of Georgia's biotech industry, he landed his current position at Porex Surgical and now makes an effort to support local graduates by recruiting from area schools.

Interestingly, what may be a problem for science and technology graduates who want to remain in Georgia may actually be an advantage for members of the local life sciences industry.

According to a study published in the Georgia Life Sciences Industry Analysis 2007 called ‘Shaping Infinity', produced by the University of Georgia's Selig Center for Economic Growth in the Terry College of Business, the availability of skilled researchers is considered one of Georgia's strong points and is a factor that is sure to attract more life sciences and biotech companies to the area.