Bio-Community.org: A platform to engagement life sciences professionals

The BayBio Institute (BBI) is embarking on a unique endeavor intended to connect life science volunteers to local schools, community colleges, students and educators, facilitating strategic collaborations that will have a profound impact on life science education in the region. Based on the overwhelming success of other volunteer platforms, Bio-Community.org aims to cultivate a grassroots network of life science volunteers, channeling their energy and commitment into a variety of education-supporting activities.

Set to launch in Q1 of next year, Bio-Community.org seeks to match the chronic needs of science education in the region with the good will and expertise of life science professionals who want to support the next generation of scientists. Over the project’s first year, Bio-Community.org will incrementally build out a menu of scalable volunteer activities in various Bay Area counties and market them to life science professionals throughout the region. Volunteers will create user profiles and sign up for specific activities connecting them to the requesting individuals, classrooms, organizations or schools. Volunteer actions might include giving a classroom presentation, reviewing resumes, mock interviewing, hosting an on-line “chat,” providing an informational interview, serving as a judge at a poster presentation, reviewing curriculum, hosting an intern, appearing in a career video, or organizing a company tour, to name a few examples.