Jared Auclair, dean of Northeastern University’s College of Professional Studies and principal investigator of the Pathmaker Biotechnology Program, was recently featured in Northeastern Global News for his leadership role in expanding access to life sciences careers across Massachusetts.

The article highlights how Northeastern’s Pathmaker program is helping prepare students and career changers for entry-level roles in the state’s growing biotechnology sector. Offered through the College of Professional Studies and supported by the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, Pathmaker provides hands-on lab training, industry-aligned instruction, and wraparound student support designed to open doors to the life sciences workforce.

As both dean of CPS and a professor of chemistry and chemical biology, Auclair has helped shape Pathmaker as a holistic workforce development model. Under his leadership, the program has already supported three cohorts totaling 75 students, with new funding enabling seven additional cohorts and training opportunities for 175 more participants over the next two years.

“Pathmaker presents a real opportunity for individuals to enter the life sciences workforce and continue building credentials over time,” Auclair shared in the feature. The program is free of charge and accessible to learners without a prior science background, reinforcing CPS’s mission to create flexible, inclusive pathways to professional advancement.

Read the full Northeastern Global News story here:
https://news.northeastern.edu/2026/01/19/pathmaker-program