Member Spotlight: Joe Robinson
Where did you go to college/university and what was your major? (and if it wasn’t pharmaceutical engineering, how did you end up in this field?)
I did 20 years in the U.S. Navy in the Nuclear Power program and during my time I received a BA in Psychology from Thomas Edison State College through the Navy College program. How I ended up in the Pharmaceutical industry was through CAI ─ I started with them immediately following my retirement from the Navy. There are several people from the U.S. Navy Nuclear program in CAI, including most of our Vice Presidents and our CEO. The training and experience gained during my time in the Navy Nuclear Power program provided a great basis for what we do in the Pharmaceutical Industry. Many of the utility systems are the same as we had onboard submarines and the quality systems are no different.
What trends do you see for the industry in the next 5 years?
Streamlining what we currently are practicing as it pertains to commissioning and qualification will continue to move forward as more companies embrace ASTM E-2500. Continuous Manufacturing will progress and we as a group (industry and ISPE) will conquer the pricing and drug shortages felt around the world.
Why did you join ISPE and how has it impacted your career? And what career advice would you share?
I joined ISPE about a year after I joined CAI because I wanted to “give back” and help make changes in Industry. ISPE is a great platform to receive information and to engage with people and companies so you can make an impact on the future of our industry. It gives you opportunities to receive a first-class education, connect with your peers and to come up with new ideas that can impact how we do business. Being involved with ISPE has allowed me to embrace the changes occurring and to participate and provide my input, giving me the satisfaction that what I do every day can help improve someone’s life. I know this first hand as I personally received treatments this past year that affected my life and I could not be prouder to be involved with such a great community.
My advice is to reach out, get involved, and see what you can do to help better the industry and help patients, which is our ultimate goal.
