On the road to Paris: iGEMers at the center stage of synthetic biology
by Hassnain Q Bokhari & Dorothy Zhang
on behalf of iGEM Community
In just 16 days, the iGEM community will be gathering at the Grand Jamboree in Paris to witness and celebrate the accomplishments of the 2022 iGEM teams. For those participating in the iGEM Competition for the very first time, the Jamboree marks the completion of their first iGEM experience. But for many returning iGEMers, the Jamboree is a chance to return to the community that first ignited their passion and helped launch their journey in synthetic biology.
This year, the Grand Jamboree will feature the “iGEMers Showcase” of returning alumni from all over the world who, along with talking about their current work, will share what they’ve learned from the iGEM Competition and how it has helped them grow and influenced their careers. We invite you to come and hear about their accomplishments in publishing papers and pursuing academic careers, starting and joining synbio companies, participating and leading global synbio policy deliberations, and developing synbio ecosystems within their communities.
Download the Jamboree Schedule
See the Grand Jamboree schedule for sessions featuring returning iGEM alumni, including:
My POV: Switching from Biology to Technology
Kamile Vainiute from iGEM Lithuania 2020 will share how she transitioned from biology to software.
See Kamile speak about her experience at Actions Over Words: Empowering Women In STEM on Wednesday October 26, 9:30 CEST on Plaza 5.
Isothermal amplification and Open Source hardware as a tool for decentralize diagnostics production
Fran Quero from iGEM Madrid 2018 and 2019 found his calling in open sciences during the iGEM Competition, which led him to create a number of open-hardware projects for access to tools and technology particularly in healthcare.
See Fran speak at Unlocking Accessibility In Synthetic Biology: Creating Paths For More on Thursday October 27, 15:30 CEST on Plaza 5.
iGEM PIs: The Essential Group Training the Future Driving Force of Synbio
Five iGEM PIs from around the world share their experience of leading and learning from iGEM teams, including:
Cai Liang from Fudan University, China (2017 to present);
Nick Coleman from University of Sydney, Australia (2013 to present);
Keith Kozminski from University of Virginia, United States (2007 to present);
Laurent Hsia from GEMS Academy in Taiwan; and
Patrick Diep, founder of Canadian Synthetic Biology Education Research Group (CSBERG).
Help us celebrate iGEM’s PIs at iGEM PIs: The Essential Group Training The Future Driving Force Of Synbio at Wednesday October 26, 10:30 CEST on Plaza 2.
PIs are essential to the iGEM Competition. Many of them also volunteer to judge for the iGEM Competition.
The Challenges and Opportunities of Fostering SynBio Associations
Meet iGEMers who are building synthetic biology communities around the world by creating or contributing to dedicated synthetic biology associations:
Vinca Seiler (GASB)
Sabrina Yeo Samuel (Taiwan Synbio Alliance),
Muhammad Farhan Maulana (SynBio Indonesia)
Claudia Moratti (Synthetic Biology Australasia)
Cibele Zolnier (iGEM Community)
Join The Challenges And Opportunities Of Fostering Synbio Associations on Thursday October 27 at 9:15 CEST on Plaza 5.
And that’s not all! Many more iGEMers will be sharing their experiences, along with the lessons they learned:
Academia & Research Pathways: from iGEM Projects to Papers and Beyond
Wednesday October 26, 14:00 CEST on Plaza 4Policies & Procedures: Navigating Synbio Governance with iGEM
Thursday October 27, 10:45 CEST on Plaza 4SynBio and Industry: The Bright Future of Synbioeconomy
Wednesday October 26, 12:30 CEST on Plaza 5Unlocking Accessibility in Synthetic Biology: Creating Paths for More
Thursday October 27, 15:30 CEST on Plaza 5Actions Over Words: Empowering Women in STEM
Wednesday October 26, 9:30 CEST on Plaza 5
Whether your journey in synthetic biology takes you into academia, industry, policy, bioarts, communication, or any one of a number of possible future pursuits, you are sure to learn much from these and many other returning iGEM alumni. Join us at the Grand Jamboree to hear their stories and meet your fellow iGEMers in person. We can’t wait to welcome you to iGEM Community!
The iGEM Community, formerly known as After iGEM, is for anyone who wants to be engaged in iGEM-related programming all around the world and be a part of the synthetic biology ecosystem. We invite you to share your iGEM story and join us at https://community.igem.org/2022-jamboree/.
