By Julie Fine, BS, Legal Specialist in the Legal Division of Worldwide Research and Development at Pfizer Inc, in La Jolla, California

It’s less than two days until the 2012 Advancing Ethical Research (AER) Conference in San Diego and I am already thinking about what I need to do to get ready. As a new PRIM&R member, a first-time attendee, and now a member of the PRIM&R Blog Squad, I have high expectations for the plenaries, didactic sessions, and workshops—and, of course, myself. I’m looking forward to being exposed to diverse perspectives, lively dialogue, and thoughtful inquiry between participants and presenters.

In my work as a legal specialist in the legal division at Pfizer Inc, I aim to support research and development worldwide. I am familiar with the practical aspects of clinical trial operations where human research protections are a very real and integral part of the corporate policies and procedures that guide our work, and I’m eager to learn more about the intersections among industry, institutions, and the global community.

I’m eager to hear from the keynotes speakers John P. A. Ioannidis, MD, PhD, Robert H. Bartlett MD, and James R. Gavin III, MD, PhD, and especially Elyn R. Saks, JD, PhD, as I’m currently reading her fascinating memoir, The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness. I am also looking forward to participating in Speed Mentoring and attending the screening of the film How to Survive a Plague. And, at some point each day, I’ll find time to reflect on the day’s events and share my impressions and insights with you!

I hope to share my industry insight and interest in research ethics issues from my perspective as a new attendee. I’m ready to listen, inquire, learn, and blog. And packing for the conference will be simple because I’ll be wearing my PRIM&R Blog Squad t-shirt every day!