Upcoming Education and Workforce Development Webinars
Join BioMADE in February and March for informative webinars featuring member updates on ongoing Education and Workforce Development Projects. Read on for details and to register!
February 16, 12:00 CT | 10:00 PT
Educating the Current and Future Bioindustrial Workforce: Molecular Biology, Bioprocessing Fundamentals, and Responsible Innovation from North Carolina State University
In the rapidly growing sector of bioindustrial manufacturing, more accessible training/education opportunities are needed to create the skilled workforce needed for sustainability of the bioindustrial ecosystem. The goal of this project is to create an online course, accessible to professionals throughout the U.S. and university students, to support development of needed expertise in this emerging sector. The course is focused on both technical aspects of biomanufacturing - including molecular biotechnology fundamentals and biomanufacturing principles and processes - and societal considerations for the nascent industrial biotechnology sector. This webinar will provide a brief review of course development progress to date and a demonstration of an interactive, cell culture lab simulation that will be part of the course.
Nanobiotechnology to Inspire the Next Generation of the Skilled Biomanufacturing Workforce from University of North Carolina, Greensboro
Our project inspires educators and veterans returning to the civilian workforce to explore and share the excitement of opportunities in bioindustrial manufacturing through immersive hands-on experiences with cutting-edge nanotechnologies like scanning electron microscopes and mobile hand-held DNA sequencers. Throughout the course of a 2-day workshop, participants prepare their own soil samples from a wide variety of locations and perform DNA sequencing in the laboratory. They see the samples they have prepared generate DNA sequencing data in real time and learn to interpret what it means. They come to understand that millions of microbes live in every handful of soil and that these microbes have a powerful impact on their health and daily lives. They then view the same samples on a scanning electron microscope that they remotely operate themselves. The beauty and diversity of the resulting images are awe-inspiring.
These hands-on experiences are further reinforced with tours of facilities at the forefront of bioindustrial manufacturing research like Novozymes, NC A&T Research Farm, and the UNCG Joint Schools of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. Participants also learn that harnessing the power of microbes provides nearly limitless opportunities in bioindustrial manufacturing like food production for food security, regenerative agriculture for climate change, and novel consumer products that enhance their lives. These combined experiences create excitement for the breadth and power of nanotechnology. It opens participants to new possibilities for pursuing careers in bioindustrial manufacturing fields and for sharing these exciting possibilities with their many students from middle school through community colleges.
In this webinar we will share our methods, experiences and workshop curricula as well as feedback we have received from participants about what they have gained from their participation.
March 16, 12:00 CT | 10:00 PT
Development of Biosecurity Sequence Screening Training Course for Bioengineers from Signature Science
BioMADE members Signature Science, Rice University, and Aclid, have partnered to develop a biosecurity sequence screening training course for bioengineers to promote the safe use of bioengineering technology. This training course will provide participants with the relevant background, example test datasets, hands-on experience, and practical knowledge to leverage open-source tools to perform nucleotide screening on a range of sequence types that are representative of potential bioengineered sequences. In the upcoming webinar, attendees will learn relevant biosecurity concepts, hear about practical experience in developing and carrying out sequence screening, and view sequence screening demonstrations.
ALAKA‘I: Applied Life-Science Academy: Knowledge Advancing Industry from University of Hawai‘i, Hilo
Successful transformation to the Bioeconomy requires cross-disciplinary fluency informed by robust guiding principles on what it means to be sustainable. ALAKAʻI (Applied Life Science Academy: Knowledge Advancing Industry) is creating short, non-credit educational modules that address these needs so Bioeconomy professionals can be more effective leaders. Indigenous Hawaiian and Pacific Island perspectives on sustainability are increasingly informative for addressing climate change while enhancing communities and improving standards of living. ALAKAʻI trainings in technical, business, and social considerations for building the Bioeconomy will be complemented by these perspectives, including the ways of waʻa (canoe), voyaging, and societies that endured for centuries in isolated island environments.
We will have two sessions on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi in 2023: July 12 – 14 in Hilo for cultural perspectives on sustainability and how they can inform appropriate economic activity, and July 17 – 19 in Kona for technical, business, and regulatory issues necessary for a successful transition to the Bioeconomy. We will also have cultural and sustainability immersion activities over the intervening weekend. For more information, including hotel block reservations, please sign up for our distribution list at bioecon@hawaii.edu