SALISBURY, N.C. — Rowan-Cabarrus Community College (RCCC) has named Wendy Jin, Ph.D., dean of biotechnology programs.

            Jin will lead and oversee the growth and development of RCCC’s new biotechnology programs and supervise the faculty and staff members in the college’s biotechnology department. Jin succeeds Ed Otto, who has left RCCC to pursue other opportunities.

            In addition to her responsibilities as dean, Jin will continue as the head of RCCC’s new agricultural biotechnology program. She joined the RCCC faculty in July.

            “We are delighted to have Wendy Jin as our dean of biotechnology programs,” said Tim Foley, vice president of academic programs. “She has done a superb job developing RCCC’s agricultural biotechnology program and will provide effective leadership for the biotechnology department as it works to establish more programs.”

            Jin earned a Ph.D. in plant physiology and molecular biology at Iowa State University and was a research fellow at Duke University for her post-doctoral work. Just prior to joining RCCC, she was vice president of genetics research at Vector Research Ltd., where she led the development of genetically-engineered plants. She also served as head of gene discovery at Paradigm Genetics Inc., where she was responsible for managing the company’s high-throughput gene discovery platform. She has more than 15 years of experience in agricultural biotechnology and is the author of 22 research articles.

            RCCC recently gained approval from the North Carolina Community College System to offer an associate degree in applied science (AAS) program in biotechnology and an AAS program in agricultural biotechnology. The two-year programs will prepare students for many of the technical and research positions being created by the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis. Students can begin taking courses in the programs with the start of the 2008 spring semester on Jan. 9.

            The AAS in biotechnology program will prepare students for jobs in biotechnology research and development. Program graduates may pursue employment as lab technicians, research assistants and quality control associates, and work with different types of employers, including small testing labs to large manufacturers, biotech companies, government laboratories, and research universities. Courses in the program will emphasize the fundamentals of science and applied training using the types of equipment and technologies students will encounter in the workplace.

            The AAS program in agricultural biotechnology is designed to meet the increasing demand for skilled laboratory technicians in various fields of biological, chemical and agricultural technology. The program will prepare graduates to serve as research assistants to biologists and chemists, laboratory technicians and instrumentation technicians, and quality control/quality assurance technicians. Graduates may pursue positions with various industry, university and government employers, including jobs in research and development, manufacturing, sales, customer service, and the production of bioengineered crops.

            “These new biotechnology programs have been designed specifically to meet the future needs of employers at the North Carolina Research Campus,” Foley said. “Students completing these programs will be well trained and positioned for successful careers in biotechnology.”

            RCCC currently offers a biotechnology option in its AAS program in industrial engineering technology. The two-year program prepares students for facilities manager, engineering technician and project manager positions in manufacturing operations. The college also is working to develop a bioprocessing program to train students for positions in bio-manufacturing.

            RCCC also offers the 140-hour “BioWork” course through its Continuing Education department. BioWork is an introductory course bringing together the basics of manufacturing technology and the fundamentals of science. BioWork gives students a broad overview of the biotechnology industry and prepares them for entry-level bio-manufacturing, chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing jobs.

            For more information about biotechnology programs at RCCC, contact the college’s biotechnology department at 704-216-7200, or visit the RCCC website at http://www.rowancabarrus.edu/biotechnology. For additional information about the BioWork course, call 704-216-7207, or send an e-mail to lovasg@rowancabarrus.edu.

           Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is a comprehensive, community-based institution of higher learning, serving the citizens of Rowan and Cabarrus Counties. RCCC offers approximately 40 programs of study in business, health and human services and engineering technologies at multiple campus locations. RCCC annually provides more than 2,000 course offerings, serving an enrollment of approximately 20,000 adult students. RCCC programs include an associate degree in arts and sciences, an associate degree in applied science, and diploma and certificate programs focusing on workforce training, continuing education and basic skills education.

           In addition, RCCC provides the education and job-training programs needed to meet many of the workforce demands of the North Carolina Research Campus, under construction in Kannapolis, N.C.

           For complete details, see the RCCC website at www.rowancabarrus.edu.