Building Biotech Bridges Conference

A comprehensive look at how the biotechnology and education communities work together around the country to address science education and workforce development needs.

The conference is a premier professional development and networking opportunity for:

  • Biotechnology professionals in community relations, communications, or human resources who want to develop or enhance their science education support initiatives in order to advance their company’s strategic objectives
  • Education leaders looking to establish or better leverage partnerships with industry in order to advance their education agenda
  • Nonprofit professionals who want to become integral to developing partnerships among the industry and education communities

By attending “Building Biotech Bridges,” you will learn how to develop and enhance partnerships between the biotechnology and education communities that benefit industry by:

  • Improving public understanding and support for biotech
  • Positioning biotechnology companies as good corporate citizens
  • Increasing the quantity and quality of talent in the employee pipeline
  • Improving employee morale with activities such as volunteer days, teacher/student mentoring programs, and diversity outreach programs

Partnerships between the biotechnology and education communities benefit education leaders by:

  • Providing access to cutting edge science and materials
  • Having scientists and other executives serve as role models for students
  • Graduating students that are ready for the workforce
  • Leveraging industry resources

 

The 2008 conference was held October 29 at the Omni Hotel, San Diego

Co-hosted by the BIOCOM Institute

 

See the 2008 Final Program (click here for PDF)!

 

Speaker Presentations (click on the title for PowerPoint slides):

Session I - Model Education Programs

Session II - Employee Involvement: Benefits to Companies and Educators

Session III - Foundations

 

2008 Speaker Lineup:

Keynote Speaker:
Duane Roth
CEO
CONNECT
San Diego, CA

 

Susan M. Baxter
Executive Director,
California State University Program for Education and Research in Biotechnology (CSUPERB),
Long Beach, CA

Deborah Bellush
 Executive Director,
Biotech Partners,
Berkeley, CA

Janet Cheetham
VP, Clinical Development
Allergan Inc.
Irvine, CA

Galeet Cohen
Biology/Environmental Science Teacher
Central High School
Philadelphia, PA

Mike Fino
Professor and Program Director, Biotechnology
MiraCosta College
Oceanside, CA

Karina Hamilton, Executive Director, SAGE Scholars Program, University of California, Irvine

Anders Hedberg
Director,
Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation
Princeton, New Jersey

Cinda Herndon-King
Director, Education Programs
Georgia Bio
Atlanta, GA

Selina C. Hudgins
Director of Development
J. Craig Venter Institute
San Diego, CA

Simon Holdaway, Genzyme-Invitrogen Biotech Educator of the Year Finalist, The Loomis Chaffee School, Windsor, CT

Faatimah Muhammad Secondary Science Coordinator, DeKalb County School System
Decatur, GA

Kim Nguyen-Gallagher
A ssociate Director,
Community & Patient Programs, Genentech
San Francisco, CA

Graham Jones
Manager, Discovery Research Strategy
Wyeth
Collegville, PA

Trina Ostrander
Manager, Community Relations
Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals
Berkeley, CA

Maggie Reinbold
Conservation Education Program Specialist, Zoological Society of San Diego

Sedra Shapiro,
Acting Associate Vice President,
Community Partnerships, & Director, Science & Technology Analysis & Strategy,
The San Diego Foundation, San Diego, CA

Sandra Slivka
Director, Southern California Biotechnology Center
San Dieg, CA

Jason Sullivan
Science Supervisor
Montgomery High School
Skillman, NJ

Heather Virdo
Manager, Community Relations and Corporate Communications
Invitrogen Corporation
Carlsbad, CA