Senior Scientists

I've enjoyed and agree with Murray Saffran's excellent commentary in The Scientist ["Senior Scientists' Experience Can Offer A Valuable Resource To Today's Students," Sept. 30, 1996, page 11]. I'm the vice president of quality and compliance in a small biotechnology company, where most of my colleagues are in their 20s and 30s. Nearing my 60th birthday, I encounter several advantages to my seniority every day. There are, for example, frequent opportunities to mentor the growth and development of others. In addition, I'm a great source of professional war stories, which enables me to teach both theory and practice with meaningful, real-life examples.

Because I've realized most of my career aspirations and am not burdened by the uncertainties and anxieties of many of my colleagues, I am both nonthreatening and nonthreatenable. While my physical resiliency may be a bit less than some of my coworkers', I've learned to plan...