Welcome! Introduce yourself to PMI’s Online Community

Hello, my name is Aaron Friedman, I am a software developer who has an interest in project management. My passion is in creating. The past several years I have worked on my personal project which is a project management application to improve outcomes for large projects. When I was young I always dreamed of making video games. Now I specialize in interactive visualizations and data exploration which I call "video games for scientific research". I'm looking to help project managers with my skill set. I'm always searching for new ideas, looking to innovate, and would love to collaborate with any project manager looking to solve a particular problem, looking to branch out, or interested in trying cutting edge technologies. I look forward to participating in this community.

Hello and happy new year! My name is Washington U. Chimuzu. I'm originally from Malawi but currently living in Minnesota, USA where I'm pursuing my second master's in Public Policy at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. This aside, I'm a Consultant/Trainer with HEBO Group, an ATP based in Tanzania plus sit on the board of Freshwater Project International, a nonprofit delivering water, sanitation and hygiene solutions in Malawi.

Growing up, I enjoyed playing with Lego and always wanted to travel and work in construction. I eventually studied Civil Engineering! One of my favorite project management tools is MS Project and I'm quickly getting used to PMI's Infinity, which I think is truly amazing. I want to learn and master Primavera at some point.

I got drawn into project management while working as a Construction Engineer with TotalEnergies where I was responsible for delivering new facilities and major refurbishments. I felt like I was thrown into the deep end, but over time, I wanted to master my skills, abilities, and impact. I'm always excited about growing, making new connections, learning, and adding value to any given assignment. There's never a dull day!

In 2017, I managed an irrigation project that diverted a major river to build a low-intake weir on the original channel. The task was extremely challenging, and some deemed it impossible, but we pulled it off! A few days ago, I was chatting with someone who was part of the project and was very proud to hear that the structure was well in use and that the beneficiaries of the project, the farmers, had been able to grow different crops over the years since. At a personal level, teaching my kids how to ride their bikes this past year was such a joy!

Can't wait to connect!

Hello and happy new year! My name is Washington U. Chimuzu. I'm originally from Malawi but currently living in Minnesota, USA where I'm pursuing my second master's in Public Policy at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota. This aside, I'm a Consultant/Trainer with HEBO Group, an ATP based in Tanzania plus sit on the board of Freshwater Project International, a nonprofit delivering water, sanitation and hygiene solutions in Malawi.

Growing up, I enjoyed playing with Lego and always wanted to travel and work in construction. I eventually studied Civil Engineering! One of my favorite project management tools is MS Project and I'm quickly getting used to PMI's Infinity, which I think is truly amazing. I want to learn and master Primavera at some point.

I got drawn into project management while working as a Construction Engineer with TotalEnergies where I was responsible for delivering new facilities and major refurbishments. I felt like I was thrown into the deep end, but over time, I wanted to master my skills, abilities, and impact. I'm always excited about growing, making new connections, learning, and adding value to any given assignment. There's never a dull day!

In 2017, I managed an irrigation project that diverted a major river to build a low-intake weir on the original channel. The task was extremely challenging, and some deemed it impossible, but we pulled it off! A few days ago, I was chatting with someone who was part of the project and was very proud to hear that the structure was well in use and that the beneficiaries of the project, the farmers, had been able to grow different crops over the years since. At a personal level, teaching my kids how to ride their bikes this past year was such a joy!

Can't wait to connect!

Dear All,

I am Arina. I live in Frederick, Maryland, and I joined the PMI community last autumn. I’m happy to be a part of this remarkable organization, as PMI does an excellent job of bringing us all together. It’s a fantastic platform for learning and sharing.

I am an experienced scientific researcher with a Ph.D. in molecular biology. I have worked in academia, biotech companies, and even ran my own biotech business. My expertise lies in a rare and highly valuable service: the rapid and efficient development of reliable, working minimal viable products in biotech, including recombinant protein, antibody, and vaccine R&D and consulting for therapeutics and IVD.

Throughout my career, I have performed project management activities in various capacities—working as an executive and principal investigator on grant projects, contracts, and collaborating with pharma companies and startups as a sole proprietor. I am planning to resume my business activities and am currently expanding my formal business skills. I hope to graduate with an MBA degree from Kelley School of Business in 2025.

Recently, I completed a fantastic Project Management course with my university and am planning to take the PMP certification exam in 2025. I’m also honored to have received PMI approval to serve as a Volunteer Subject Matter Expert on the PMIstandards+ team in 2025.

Many of the projects I’ve led have been predictive by nature. However, most custom projects required the implementation of an adaptive approach—something we did long before classic Agile frameworks were popularized with the rise of tech startups. The biotech field presents unique challenges when implementing Agile methodologies, particularly due to the high demands for skill, knowledge, experience, and professionalism. These factors are crucial for reducing costs and uncertainty, and the development of biotech-specific project management strategies is worth exploring.

On a lighter note, I also keep a hobby cattery of traditional Siberian cats, Sibaris, which I’ve been running for 25 years. We are one of the oldest catteries in the world and have raised many top-show winners. I’ve even officiated as a licensed International Cat Judge. Our cats are like family, and despite what some might think, preserving these beautiful cats with love and care requires a lot of project management tools and skills. From analyzing and aggregating knowledge from pedigrees to managing communication with stakeholders—such as owners, judges, and other breeders—this unique experience brings me a lot of joy.

Dear All,

I am Arina. I live in Frederick, Maryland, and I joined the PMI community last autumn. I’m happy to be a part of this remarkable organization, as PMI does an excellent job of bringing us all together. It’s a fantastic platform for learning and sharing.

I am an experienced scientific researcher with a Ph.D. in molecular biology. I have worked in academia, biotech companies, and even ran my own biotech business. My expertise lies in a rare and highly valuable service: the rapid and efficient development of reliable, working minimal viable products in biotech, including recombinant protein, antibody, and vaccine R&D and consulting for therapeutics and IVD.

Throughout my career, I have performed project management activities in various capacities—working as an executive and principal investigator on grant projects, contracts, and collaborating with pharma companies and startups as a sole proprietor. I am planning to resume my business activities and am currently expanding my formal business skills. I hope to graduate with an MBA degree from Kelley School of Business in 2025.

Recently, I completed a fantastic Project Management course with my university and am planning to take the PMP certification exam in 2025. I’m also honored to have received PMI approval to serve as a Volunteer Subject Matter Expert on the PMIstandards+ team in 2025.

Many of the projects I’ve led have been predictive by nature. However, most custom projects required the implementation of an adaptive approach—something we did long before classic Agile frameworks were popularized with the rise of tech startups. The biotech field presents unique challenges when implementing Agile methodologies, particularly due to the high demands for skill, knowledge, experience, and professionalism. These factors are crucial for reducing costs and uncertainty, and the development of biotech-specific project management strategies is worth exploring.

On a lighter note, I also keep a hobby cattery of traditional Siberian cats, Sibaris, which I’ve been running for 25 years. We are one of the oldest catteries in the world and have raised many top-show winners. I’ve even officiated as a licensed International Cat Judge. Our cats are like family, and despite what some might think, preserving these beautiful cats with love and care requires a lot of project management tools and skills. From analyzing and aggregating knowledge from pedigrees to managing communication with stakeholders—such as owners, judges, and other breeders—this unique experience brings me a lot of joy.

Hello Everyone!

I'm Jim and I'm an engineering and project consultant in Bend, Oregon. I transitioned to a consulting role a little over a year ago when I started my consulting firm. I focus on building and improving engineering and project execution processes for client organizations and also working as a project manager.

My career has given me a lot of project management opportunities and two of the highlights are the opportunities I have had to create a project management office for the selection, prioritization, and execution of engineering and technology projects in the pharmaceutical industry. I joined PMI and I am currently working on my PMP to be able to help demonstrate my focus and commitment to project management.

I'm working to fully transition from engineering to project management so I am interested in networking with other professionals that are working in the pharmaceutical/biotech space with a PMO focus. If you're interested in having a conversation about life in a true PMO organization and transitioning into that area I would love to talk to you.

Thanks! Jim

Hi Jim, welcome to PMI's online community! You're certainly in the right place. You may find the Pharmaceutical topic page interesting for conversations, resources and networking opportunities: https://www.projectmanagement.com/topics/pharmaceutical/

Best of luck with your PMP!