Community: The 2nd of a 4-part series on iGEM 2021
by iGEM HQ
“iGEM is a community. One that spans borders and years. One that you will be able to tap into and give back to no matter where life takes you.”
- Ronit Langer, iGEM Ambassador Program Coordinator
Community, the second of the 4C’s, lies at the heart of iGEM. Although we come from different backgrounds and geographical locations, embrace different cultural identities and have different perspectives, we all share something in common – we are all excited about synthetic biology.
The iGEM community is a wonderfully diverse group of people from all over the world who are passionate about developing and applying the tools of synthetic biology to address the challenges facing our world today. Our community encompasses the new and returning members of iGEM teams, the instructors and mentors that support them, the judges and committee members that dedicate their time and energy to improving iGEM, the partners and sponsors that support iGEM, and the alumni who stay connected as they continue their iGEM journey by starting their own companies, or working in biotechnology or public policy or the many other fields that touch synthetic biology.
With more than 50,000 people from over 45 countries having participated since iGEM began in 2003, the iGEM community has been a driving force for innovation in nearly every corner of the globe. Our community is continuing to expand as we welcome new groups interested in synthetic biology to join us at the annual Giant Jamboree. Indeed, with the launch of the iGEM Video Universe, people all over the world can now view the iGEM team project presentations, as well as the workshops and keynotes of the Giant Jamboree.
There are many ways to participate in iGEM and we invite you to:
Start or join an iGEM team, become an advisor or judge, or join a committee. Information for participating in iGEM 2021 is available here.
Begin your BioVenture through the Entrepreneurship Program Innovation Community (EPIC) that supports the development of iGEM’s entrepreneurial community.
Explore iGEM’s alumni program “After iGEM” for opportunities to work toward a strong, responsible and visionary synthetic biology industry on an international level.
Invest in the future by partnering with iGEM, exhibiting at future iGEM Giant Jamborees, or sponsoring iGEM teams. Contact: sponsor [AT] igem [DOT] org.
Welcome to the iGEM community. We’re thrilled to have you with us!
