Dear Reader,
Just a few months into summer, we are welcoming feelings of optimism and growth, both in our professional pursuits and personal lives. Technologies are evolving. Aspirations are growing. New ideas are forming, some actively; others, passively, as we absorb inspiration from our vacations and hobbies.
Welcome to our August issue. In this month’s issue, you can catch up on HPLC 2014 and AES 2014, learn about the use of ICP-MS systems for trace metal testing, read about applications of LIMS-BPMS coupling, precast gel electrophoresis systems, and more. Clearly, mass spectrometry is becoming more accessible within a variety of disciplines. The manufacturers are listening to the scientists. The industry is becoming more unified.
Here at American Laboratory, we, too, have been evolving. Allow me to introduce myself as your new voice: the new Managing Editor at American Laboratory. With a background in science (molecular biology) and a passion for communication and analytical thinking, I am here to make American Laboratory magazine resound mindfully with our interests, goals, and challenges.
If you had the privilege of attending Pittcon 2014 in Chicago, IL or ASMS 2014 in Baltimore, MD just a few short months ago, you had the opportunity to network within a diverse gathering of scientists and experience the common themes across product launches and research: increasing innovation, cross-compatibility, rapid testing, a reduction in instrument size, multifold performance increases, automation, newly capable software, and increasing field applications. Clearly, the world of analytical chemistry is becoming more accessible to the biological, healthcare, and related research disciplines.
Nowadays, it seems that we do everything a bit “faster.” Some of us might proudly wear a badge of “multitasking,” but realistically, we recharge our minds and recalculate our trajectory by sitting down, taking a breath, listening, and regrouping. In order to feel inspired, learn something new, or seek a laugh, we seek knowledge on our own terms, whether it is directly reaching out to an expert, flipping through a publication, doing personal research, or just absorbing the news. Quite a lot has changed in the field over the years, and I feel that it is imperative that we analytical thinkers align and share.
I am a firm believer in active listening. Before I say that American Laboratory magazine represents you, I want to establish that I am here to actively listen to you, the reader. What would you like to see? Can we sit down, take a breath, listen, and regroup, together? I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback.
Enjoy reading, and until the next issue…
All the Best,
Emilia Raszkiewicz
Managing Editor
American Laboratory