After graduating from high school, Paul Mouris enlisted in the United States Navy where he worked as a Nuclear Reactor Mechanic onboard a nuclear powered aircraft carrier. After six years of service, he attended the University of Connecticut from 1997-2003. Putting himself through college without outside help spurred a great appreciation for the value of education. Graduating summa cum laude, with a Doctor of Pharmacy Degree in the spring of 2003, Paul became a licensed pharmacist in Connecticut.

As an Investigator with the Food and Drug Administration in White Plains, NY, for the past six years, Paul inspects pharmaceutical manufacturers to ensure that they are manufacturing safe and effective products in accordance with Current Good Manufacturing Practices. He is committed to staying on the cutting edge of technology and pharmaceutical development.

Paul says that receiving the Centennial Scholarship Award will enable him to continue his studies “to become an even better FDA Investigator” with the goal of achieving a Level III Drug Investigator Certification. His current position familiarizes him with examining a drug for safety after it has been produced, but Temple’s QA/RA master’s program will enable him to learn more about regulatory issues during research and clinical trials. Already matriculated, Paul is starting the QA/RA program this fall.

Update: Paul continues to work as an FDA inspector in NY. He commented, “I am extremely grateful for having been selected for the FDAAA Scholarship for the 2009/2010 school year at Temple University. I continue to take classes toward a Master’s in QA/RA. Having to pay for the cost of going back to school on my own, the FDAAA Scholarship helped me out a great deal and will allow me take an extra class during the summer semester to graduate sooner. The classes I take are directly relevant to my job as an FDA Investigator, and I think the knowledge gained from the courses make me a more well rounded Investigator. I recently earned Level 2 Drug Investigator Certification and am striving to become Level 3 Certified, joining FDA’s elite Pharmaceutical Inspectorate. I would, once again, like to thank the FDAAA Board for affording me the privilege of being an FDAAA Scholarship recipient.”