Thank you for an exceptional iGEM 2020!
by iGEM HQ
Amidst all the challenges of this exceptional year, there have been silver linings – a rejuvenated sense of community, new ways of connecting and learning, and the largest-scale global experiment in reimagining iGEM at all levels. This year the iGEM community came together in new ways to support the 2020 teams, and one another, as we reimagined iGEM in a year where many teams did not have access to a lab, where meet-ups could not be held in person, and where a physical Giant Jamboree was not possible. Truly, without the help of the many volunteers who dedicated their time, this iGEM season would not have happened at all. From the COVID-19 pandemic, iGEM has emerged stronger than ever before, with new paths for advancing synthetic biology and making iGEM available to virtually every community across the globe.
We would like to thank the many people who are key to guiding iGEM teams in developing safe and responsible biological solutions to local and global challenges, including:
the Advisors and Mentors of iGEM teams from over 40 countries that provide guidance and support for the innovative projects that iGEMers dream and develop;
the Diversity & Inclusion Committee who encourage gender-balanced teams and inclusiveness of all backgrounds, abilities, and cultures;
the Human Practices Committee who help iGEM teams creatively engage with issues in ethics, sustainability, inclusion, security, and many other areas in considering whether their projects are responsible and good for the world;
the Judges and Judging Committees that bring their individual areas of special expertise and serve as master generalists in evaluating all aspects of a team's work;
the Measurement Committee who help iGEM teams succeed in their goals by implementing measurement principles and techniques relating to instrumentation, assay methods, experimental design, reproducibility, modeling, and prediction;
the Safety and Security Committee that offer their expertise in biosafety, biosecurity, and risk assessment from diverse areas of industry, academia, and government to help iGEM teams identify and address potential safety and security issues;
the Video & Remote Technology Committee who help improve and advance a new kind of iGEM experience by developing the best possible online platforms so that anyone, anywhere in the world can access iGEM;
the iGEM Ambassadors who represent and promote iGEM and synthetic biology in their respective regions, and work together in a myriad of ways to create a vibrant and supportive iGEM community;
the After iGEM Community members who share their iGEM experiences and continue to make an impact on the world; and
the Partners and Sponsors of iGEM that offer resources and support to help us continue to provide this unique and valuable experience to iGEMers worldwide.
Finally, we wish to thank the iGEM 2020 team members themselves who braved the challenges of this exceptional year, and brought their creativity, innovative capacity, passion and team spirit in engineering safe and responsible biological solutions to respond to the needs of their local communities and tackle global challenges.
This global pandemic will end. We will celebrate another iGEM season. And we will do so as better scientists, better engineers, and better human beings.
Thanks to all of you from all of us at iGEM HQ!
P.S. Please note that iGEM HQ will be closed for the winter holidays from Dec 23 - Jan 1 (re-opening Jan 4). We look forward to working with you again and welcoming even more new iGEMers in the 2021 season!
P.P.S. If you participated on an iGEM team this year, there is still time to submit your feedback and help to build an even better program for 2021!
