20.S947 is a new class focused on giving students hands-on experience in the biopharmaceutical industry by through an off-site research placement at Novartis or Merrimack Pharmaceuticals. Students will be paired with an individual company mentor, who they will work closely with on a project team for 10 hours / week, and attend a weekly 1-hour lecture focused on professional development and industry perspective.The immersive company experience will provide students an opportunity to observe and participate in industrial science. Students will use their project as a real-time ‘case study' to internalize the factors that shape R&D in industry, including the purpose and scope of a project, key decision points in the past and future, and strategies for execution. Through the semester, students will utilize company resources and work with a scientific team to contribute to the goals of their assigned project.