The Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) is spearheading a vital initiative to address a critical skills gap in the rapidly evolving landscape of automated science, thanks to a $199,884 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Beginning in 2026, SLAS will develop the first comprehensive, openly available educational guidelines for laboratory automation – a field increasingly reliant on robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning within pharmaceutical, biotech, and academic research. This multi-year project, “Standards for Automated Science Education,” aims to create tiered competency standards aligned with real-world job requirements. “The automation infrastructure investments have been massive, but training infrastructure hasn’t kept pace,” says Kennedy McDaniel Bae, PhD, lead of the project, “We’re building that missing piece—the first comprehensive framework that bridges traditional education with the convergence of robotics, AI, and machine learning.”
SLAS Receives $199,884 Sloan Foundation Grant for Automation Standards
Sloan Foundation, announced January 28, 2026. This multi-year project directly addresses a critical skills gap emerging as laboratory automation – integrating robotics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence – rapidly expands within pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic research. The funding will support the development of standardized educational guidelines for laboratory automation, aiming to harmonize training across institutions and industries. Kennedy McDaniel Bae, PhD, will lead the project in collaboration with Joshua D. Kangas, PhD, of Carnegie Mellon University, and a drafting committee representing diverse expertise.
The project will assess workforce needs, establish tiered competency standards, and create readily available teaching resources, all released under a Creative Commons license and hosted by SLAS. Vicki Loise, CMP, CAE, chief executive officer of SLAS, stated, “SLAS is committed to strengthening the scientific workforce…by creating shared standards.” Padraic Foley of the Acceleration Consortium added, “To fully realize the potential of autonomous science, we need a workforce skilled…in the integration of robotics and data.” The resulting guidelines are expected to be publicly available beginning in late 2026.
Standards for Automated Science Education: Project Components & Goals
Sloan Foundation. This multi-faceted project will meticulously assess current industry workforce needs and pinpoint existing educational barriers, forming the foundation for a standardized curriculum. The project isn’t simply about defining needs; it will also focus on delivering tangible resources, with plans to “curate and publish implementation-ready teaching resources” openly licensed under Creative Commons.
SLAS is committed to strengthening the scientific workforce by connecting education, technology and real-world application.
Vicki Loise, CMP, CAE
Workforce Needs Drive Curriculum Development for Robotics & AI Integration
Sloan Foundation, and aims to establish standardized educational guidelines for lab automation. The initiative recognizes the increasing demand for professionals proficient in these technologies across pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and research environments. Kangas, PhD, of Carnegie Mellon University. The project will focus on four key areas: assessing workforce needs, creating tiered competency standards, curating teaching resources, and documenting successful curriculum integration models.
