SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 29, 2012 – Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced that Dr. Goeffrey Kamau, professor of chemistry at the University of Nairobi, has been honored with the Association of Laboratory Managers’ 2012 Distinguished Service Award for Laboratory Management.
Kamau, a Kenyan native, author, and longtime educator/advocate for laboratory reform, accepted the award at the association’s annual conference earlier this month in San Antonio, Texas. Agilent is the corporate sponsor of the award and an industry leader in improving laboratory practices worldwide.
“Dr. Kamau has spent more than a decade working with partners and colleagues to educate scientists and raise the standards of practice in private and national laboratories throughout Africa,” said Wayne Collins, Agilent’s worldwide industry manager, energy and chemical. “We admire his dedication to this important initiative and congratulate him for his many achievements in this area. We will continue to support his efforts to drive further laboratory reform in Africa and bring countries into compliance with internationally accepted laboratory guidelines.”
A few initiatives now in progress to improve laboratory operations include advanced education for chemists and microbiologists, proficiency testing, and upgrading instruments and laboratory facilities.
Dr. Kamau and others like him are focusing squarely on improving laboratory practices in African nations to help secure future economic stability and improve the quality of life within their borders through increased trade and exportation of domestic goods. To accomplish this, they must implement globally standardized screening protocols to ensure the quality and safety of their raw materials, guaranteeing that they are free of contaminants, pesticides and other dangerous substances.
“We are very pleased to honor Professor Kamau with our Distinguished Service Award for Laboratory Management for his outstanding leadership in establishing and running the East and Southern Africa Laboratory Managers Association for 10 years,” said Tom Lyttle, awards chairman for ALMA. “He has seen the fruits of his work as a growing number of labs in the region now meet international quality standards and are able to certify products for export into world markets.”
ALMA’s Distinguished Service Award is granted annually to a manager who has advanced the practice of lab management or has exhibited exceptional managerial skills in his or her job. Agilent is a longtime ALMA affiliate and has sponsored the award for 10 years.
About ALMA
ALMA (www.labmanagers.org is a nonprofit association of laboratory managers that provides a forum for improving laboratory management skills worldwide through conferences and workshops and by providing a network to interact with managers with similar problems to find solutions and ideas that have worked in their laboratories.
About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world’s premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, diagnostics, electronics and communications. The company’s 20,000 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had net revenues of $6.6 billion in fiscal 2011. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com