Marc Doble ’02 Named to Professional Science Master’s Steering Committee

As a graduate of Keck Graduate Institute’s (KGI) first-ever Master of Bioscience (MBS) class in 2002, Marc Doble has developed into a top leader in the bioscience industry. Now an Executive Director for Business Performance at biotechnology powerhouse Amgen, Doble is getting back to his roots as he was recently appointed to the Professional Science Master’s (PSM) National Office Steering Committee.

“We are very pleased that Marc has joined the Steering Committee,” said KGI Professor Dr. James D. Sterling. “His experience in hiring both interns and graduates of KGI’s program at Amgen make him an ideal representative from industry to help us craft criteria for PSMs that best meet industry needs.”

The PSM is an innovative graduate degree designed to combine advanced training in science or mathematics while simultaneously developing workplace skills highly valued by employers.

“PSM degrees are meant to be on the cutting edge of industry and academia,” Doble said. “Curriculum should be relevant to trends and needs in industry.”

The MBS degrees at KGI are affiliated as Professional Science Master’s degrees, and in fact, KGI was a pioneer of the PSM initiative which started in 1997. KGI houses the PSM National Office at its campus in Claremont, CA, and is overseen by a National Steering Committee of leaders in higher education. The National Office is led by Dr. Kiriko Komura as the administrative director of the PSM National Office and by Dr. Sterling as the faculty director of the office.

As the first alumnus to join the PSM National Office Steering Committee, Doble provides context as someone who went through the academic training.

“As an alum and working industry professional, I try to bring unique perspectives from industry and what they’re looking for,” Doble said. “By helping to provide that perspective, I can influence policy or how institutions approach their teaching methods.”

There are currently 356 PSM programs from 165 institutions in the US and other countries. One of the main functions of the PSM National Office is to develop and manage the criteria for quality-control.

“PSM degrees are very specialized for a reason and are meant to be at the forefront of innovation and the next generation of technology,” said Doble. “This relevance is important to be kept in mind for both students going into programs and for the PSM steering committee. The programs should continue to build and strengthen their ties to industry.”