Inside... IBE Meeting Highlights The Institute of Executive Director’s Report Biological Engineering Biology in Engineering Biological Engineer at Work www.ibeweb.org IFAQ Poster and Essay Winners Summer 2008 Volume 12.2 President’s Message Christina D. Smolke [email protected] Editor, Art Johnson What Does it Take to Be a Good Biological Engineer? The 21st century presents global challenges in the environment, resources, energy, health, and sustainability. The mission of the IBE is to support the com- The story is recounted in the Phi munity of scientists and engineers who are addressing these problems through Kappa Phi Forum about a Har- biological systems. We do this through enhancing and promoting biological vard University conference entitled engineering in the broadest manner through research, education, and professional “Keeping Kids in the Achievement development. Game” (Malone, 2008). John Mer- The solutions to these societal challenges will require broad multi-pronged row, President of Learning Matters, approaches – spanning engineering, biology, chemistry, materials, computer sci- Inc., and a renowned education ence, and physics. The breadth of approaches required are well-refl ected in the reporter for PBS and NPR, gave a membership of IBE and in the exciting work that was presented at our 2008 an- compelling speech about the impor- nual meeting. From researchers who are taking inspiration from natural biological tance of quality teachers, holistic systems to develop approaches for building new organic-inorganic hybrid materi- education, and the care and nurturing als (as highlighted in our keynote presentation), to researchers who are developing of our inner-city students. No sooner approaches to deploy biology as a technology for information, materials, chemical, had he fi nished than a male high and energy processing (as discussed in our Synthetic Biology and Frontiers ses- school student stood up and asked, sions); biological engineers are transforming approaches to the analysis, design, “Well, if all this is so important, how and programming of biological or biology-inspired substrates. come my art got cut, and how come What unites us as a community is the belief that our ability to use biology as I haven’t had a music program since a substrate for engineering for constructive purposes, is a critical technology. It is the fourth grade?” important to consider what a community of biological engineers is and what your How come, indeed! Apparently, role is in this rapidly growing community. As biological engineering matures, the No Child Left Behind policy, grows, and redefi nes itself, as new technologies in support of engineering biology with its formal standardized testing come online and as new departments and training programs spring up all across and rating of successful and unsuc- this country and across the world, resulting in the training of rapidly expand- cessful schools has caused there to ing numbers of young scientists and engineers who call themselves ‘biological be increased instructional time in engineers’, an effective community framework is more important than ever before. reading, writing, math, and science. Some of the issues that must be addressed include: How can we best cultivate and What suffered was time devoted to support investment and innovation in biotechnology? What should be the new arts, foreign languages, and social ownership and sharing policies of biological technologies that support innova- studies. tion and growth? What are the community and professional practices in biological Without science and math, read- engineering; how can we best support biological ethics, safety and security? ing and writing, our students cannot IBE is leading discussions in many of these efforts, as exemplifi ed by several be expected to survive in the 21st programs at our annual meeting including the bio-business nexus, the bioethics century world. Aren’t they also at a See PRESIDENT, page 2 See EDITOR, page 3 Continued from PRESIDENT, page 1 contest, and a special session featuring increase. In addition, we have recently As president of IBE, I have student presentations from the iGEM hired a new management company, identifi ed several goals on which I (internationally genetically engineered Symbiotex Management Strategies, will focus my efforts over the next machines) competition. As a profes- that is working actively with the lead- year. First, we will reach out to new sional society, IBE needs to look ership of IBE to develop new strategic members (new departments, emerging forward and anticipate the frameworks plans appropriate with the promise and research communities) and interna- that need to be in place for its com- growth of this discipline and helping tional contingencies to build a broader munity in the 21st century – imaging a us to reach out to industry and educa- biological engineering community world in which biological engineering tional programs. base. Second, we will transition IBE is a unique educational and profession- IBE is an organization that wel- to take better advantage of global al discipline. What is the educational comes participation from its member- community building and information core of a biological engineer? What ship, at any age or stage of training. sharing through interactive internet is a professional biological engineer, As a member, you are IBE and should hubs. Third, we will emphasize a and should there be a license? Are be leading and participating in discus- directed effort on education in biologi- there technical standards and codes by sions and actions on issues and chal- cal engineering, by leading discussions which the work of a biological engi- lenges that inspire you. Your energy around the foundational core of this neer should be judged? What are the and effort can have a real impact on discipline. Fourth, we will develop responsibilities or codes of ethics un- what we as a society is doing. As a new initiatives directed to the support der which a biological engineer should place to start, IBE has nine committees and development of IBE’s student work? IBE is providing a forum for that span education, chapters/branches, membership base. Our student mem- discussing many of these issues within meetings, membership, public rela- bership is the core energy behind IBE the IBE wiki site (http://openwetware. tions, recognition/awards, website and certainly the future of biological org/wiki/Institute_of_Biological_En- and communications, nominations/ engineering. The executive commit- gineering) and IBE’s new journal the elections, bylaws and publications tee has discussed several exciting Journal of Biological Engineering committees. These committees repre- initiatives that we will be implement- (http://www.jbioleng.org/home). sent an excellent fi rst step in getting ing later in the year to support more IBE is on a strong trajectory that involved with IBE, either informally active student chapters, activities and is due to the leadership that has been or as committee members. To learn resources for these chapters, and to guiding the society, its membership more about these opportunities, please broaden IBE’s base of support. Finally, which has been generally very ac- contact committee chairs as listed we will begin developing partnerships tive and engaged in the direction of on the website (http://www.ibe.org/ with other organizations to participate the society, and the exciting growth about/committees.cgi). In addition, we in framing discussions around profes- that is happening in emerging areas encourage you to organize community sional practices in biological engineer- of biological engineering. Attendance discussions on the IBE OpenWetWare ing. at the IBE annual meeting has nearly wiki site; the wiki site provides a doubled over the past two years and forum for discussion that anyone can our membership numbers continue to openly contribute to. IBE 2008 Officers President: Christina Smolke [email protected] Jay Keasling [email protected] Past President: Tom Richard [email protected] Todd Monroe [email protected] Secretary: David Jones [email protected] Randy Rettberg [email protected] Chris Voigt [email protected] [email protected] Treasurer: Czarena “Czar” Mike Walter [email protected] Crofcheck Councilors at Large Graduate Councilor Scott Metzler [email protected] Jeff Catchmark [email protected] Patrick Cirino [email protected] Undergraduate Councilor Tim Gardner [email protected] Craig Barcus [email protected] Sheila Grant [email protected] Stacy Hutchinson [email protected] 2 IBE NEWSLETTER, SUMMER 2008 VOL. 12.2 Continued from EDITOR, page 1 disadvantage without art, history, mu- With art and music squeezed out, what life, but we cannot condone extremism sic, and social and cultural legacies? chance do we have to maintain a broad that excludes cultural appreciation. The world is facing globalization: view of biological engineering? How Very few of us will win the Nobel shouldn’t we prepare the next genera- can we expect future biological engi- Prize. I haven’t given up hope yet, but tion to adapt with languages, global neers to be adept enough to anticipate there is nothing that I have done thus history, and appreciation for foreign reactive maneuvers and unintended far to deserve such an honor. And it’s contributions? consequences characteristic of living not likely that I will ever achieve any- Emil de Cou, Associate Conductor things? thing even close. But, as Arlo Guthrie for the National Symphony Orchestra, Perhaps art and music do not has said, “everyone’s good for some- has said, “I have yet to meet a teacher directly contribute to versatility, but thing.” I think it is more likely that the who thinks excluding the arts is a they help people to break the chains something that someone is good for good idea. If you just memorize facts of constrictive thinking. The box that depends strongly on the education and and fi gures, you’re not contributing biological engineers need to operate in experiences they have in their forma- to society.