Rate My Professor Laurence Orlando

Laurence Orlando is a Senior Lecturer (education-focused) in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Monash University. She holds the position in Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Education and is recognized as a Senior Lecturer in Pharmaceutics. Drawing on 15 years of experience in pharmaceutical research and development, Orlando has applied her industry knowledge to develop teaching curricula that closely align with professional demands, significantly enhancing student employability. Her vast industry network, exceeding 2000 contacts including alumni, has led to consistently high employment rates for her graduates. She coordinates key units such as BPS2032 Analytical Method Development, focusing on high-performance liquid chromatography, and BPS3312 Professional Experience in Formulation Science, emphasizing practical industry skills. Orlando spearheads the Pharmaceutical Sciences Employability Program, which facilitates direct student-industry interactions through work-integrated learning projects, mentorships, and career events.

In recognition of her contributions to education, Orlando received the Employability Award at the Australian Financial Review Higher Education Awards in 2024 for the Pharmaceutical Sciences Employability Program. She also earned the Vice-Chancellor Award for Industry Education Programs and a Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning. As Chief Investigator, she led the project 'Inviting Industry In: Embedding Industry-Relevant Work-Integrated Learning Projects across Monash Curricula' from 2017 to 2019, and contributed to 'An Australian Centre of Pharmaceutical Innovation to Design and Develop Next Generation Formulation Platforms and Products' from 2010 to 2017. Her peer-reviewed publications include 'Let’s talk business: The language recruiters use to attract STEM graduates' (2020, Industry and Higher Education), 'Thinking about critical thinking: An industry perspective' (2019, Industry and Higher Education), 'An insight into powder entrainment and drug delivery mechanisms from a modified Rotahaler' (2014, International Journal of Pharmaceutics), 'Investigating the interactions of amino acid components on a mannitol-based spray-dried powder formulation for pulmonary delivery: A design of experiment approach' (2011, International Journal of Pharmaceutics), and 'Particle engineering of a mannitol-based powder formulation for delivery of biomolecules to the lung' (2011). Through these efforts, Orlando bridges academia and industry, shaping the next generation of pharmaceutical scientists with practical expertise and strong career prospects.