After serving as the editor of Controlled Environments for several years, I was recently named editor of another ABM publication, Laboratory Design. Some of you read both magazines (thank you!), but I’ve found that each brand also has its specific and loyal followers. The Controlled Environments community is great, and (as I’ve quickly learned) so is the Laboratory Design community. I’ve gotten in touch with many of you via email and social media to let you know about my new position, and I appreciate those that have reached out to me to get involved with Laboratory Design. I look forward to connecting with more of you in the future.
There’s certainly some crossover between both publications, and I’m looking forward to merging two distinct audiences whenever possible. Not all laboratories are cleanrooms, of course. And not all cleanrooms are used as laboratories. But there are some instances where the two coincide. I’m fortunate to have great contacts in both fields, and I’m excited about the editorial features these two magazines will be bringing to you in the coming months.
It’s been interesting to explore the broader world of Laboratory Design. Cleanrooms are such a niche subject — specific standards and certifications need to be met, equipment has to be approved for cleanroom use, special apparel needs to be worn, etc. There is a bit more leeway with Laboratory Design, though — people working in your run-of-the-mill laboratory may not be clad head-to-toe in bunny suits and bouffants, and products and equipment don’t always go through the cleanroom’s rigorous packaging and testing mandates before they enter a lab facility. I’m also learning more about the world of architecture, since it plays a much larger role for Laboratory Design than it does for Controlled Environments.
Even though cleanrooms can be a specific topic, I’ve always been amazed at how many applications they can be used for. According to last year’s Cleanroom Trends and Salary Survey (see http://bit.ly/1pbhPN7), nearly a quarter of Controlled Environments’ readership works in the pharmaceutical industry. The manufacturing and medical device industries also make up a large portion of our audience. But our readers also represent fields such as nanotechnology, food and beverage, semiconductors, and aerospace, among others. These industries are also represented in Laboratory Design — someone’s got to plan out and construct those cleanrooms, after all.
I hope to see you at the 2016 Laboratory Design Conference, which will be held April 25-27 in Houston, Texas. Experts will be delivering sessions on topics that will resonate with Controlled Environments readers — research laboratories, bringing technology into the 21st century, fume hoods, steam sterilizers, and more. Our “Facilities Gal” columnist, Kate Everett, will be speaking about renovation and retrofitting. Tours of Houston-area labs will also be offered. Visit www.labdesignconference.com for more information and to register. Contact us for group rates and discounts, too.
MaryBeth DiDonna is the editor of Controlled Environments. [email protected]; @CEMagazineUS
This Letter from the Editor appeared in the March/April 2016 issue of Controlled Environments.
