The Member Spotlight is an ongoing Q&A series focused on getting to know the CASSS community. Today’s spotlight shines on Jason Rouse, Senior Director of Mass Spectrometry and Biophysical Characterization at Pfizer, Inc.
Q. What was your motivation to volunteer with CASSS?
I was invited to join the initial Scientific Organizing committee of the CASSS Mass Spec Symposium in 2004. Over the past 18 years, it has continued to be a leading forum to meet industry and vendor-partner mass spectrometrists in person, learn about new workflows/technologies, benchmark new instruments/methods, and discuss industry challenges and trends. I continue to volunteer with CASSS because the Mass Spec Symposium and the other CASSS Symposia throughout the year are so valuable for keeping in touch with the latest industry and regulatory trends and directions.
Q. What do you do to relax? Do you have any hobbies?
Since 2016, my main hobby is hiking a new mountain in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maine every 1-2 weeks (except in the winter). I have hiked the 48 New Hampshire 4000+ footers (and the 5 Vermont 4000 footers), plus many more mountains on eleven New England hiking lists.
Q. What's your favorite type of food or special dish you cook? Why?
I am not really a cook, but I literally like everything, especially dessert!
Q. What is your favorite movie, tv show, music, or book?
My favorite music is album-oriented classic/progressive rock/heavy metal, although, I like listening to all types of music these days, especially live music at local venues. My wife hooked me on Yellowstone – so I am looking forward to the season.
Q. What famous person (dead or alive) would you choose to have dinner with? Why?
It is difficult to choose one person…it would be great to have dinner with someone who has unique experiences, insights, perspectives, and/or talents that I could learn from and become inspired.
Q. What’s your favorite travel experience?
In 1995, my wife and I traveled to Kenya in Africa for two weeks – it was the trip of a lifetime. We visited the Aberdare, Mount Kenya, Samburu, and Masai Mara national parks and saw so many different animals and landscapes on both safari and horseback.
Q. What would people be surprised to know about you?
I really enjoy dual-sport dirt bike riding on both designated trail systems and Class 4/6 abandoned dirt roads in NH. My two sons and I also take long scenic motorcycle rides in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine, and Vermont.
Q. How did you get inspired to go into science/biotech/pharma industry?
It was great science teachers and professors who helped me to really connect with chemistry in high school, college, and graduate school; their enthusiasm, guidance, and support ultimately led me to a PhD specializing in mass spectrometry and peptide sequencing at MSU and then an industrial post-doc at Genetics Institute in Andover, Massachusetts for glycoprotein characterization.
Q. If you did anything other than your current occupation, what would it be?
I would like to go back to developing new mass spectrometry instruments, techniques, and applications in an academic/industrial lab setting, and/or re-learn computer programming/web design for scientific/corporate applications/dashboards.