California Institutes Lead Effort to Bring Life Science Education, Workforce Training and Entrepreneurship to the National Stage

BOSTON--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--The BayBio Institute and BIOCOM Institute have joined state bioscience organizations in a nationally coordinated effort to ensure America’s leadership in bioscience innovation by delivering industry-led life science education, workforce development, and entrepreneurship programs across the country. The two institutions are both founding members of the newly established Coalition for Bioscience Institutes (CSBI), formally announced at the 2012 BIO International Convention. With SoCalBIO’s recent joining of the CSBI, California is fully represented at the table and will be able to maximize its impact nationally.

“Both Institutes’ affiliation with the CSBI will allow programs developed here to be shared with other institutes, and allow our communities to collaborate with successful programs developed around the United States.”

“Life science is one of the fastest growing sectors in the state's economy and the BayBio Institute and BIOCOM Institute have long been active in providing pioneering STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) workforce and education programs here in California,” said California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom. “Both Institutes’ affiliation with the CSBI will allow programs developed here to be shared with other institutes, and allow our communities to collaborate with successful programs developed around the United States.”

Working together since December 2011, CSBI serves as an umbrella for standard practice sharing, joint fundraising and national initiatives for life science/STEM education (student education, career exploration and teacher professional development); workforce development (workforce training, incumbent worker professional development, dislocated worker training); and entrepreneurship. CSBI provides the opportunity for state bioscience organizations to share knowledge with the goal of improving bioscience education and innovation, while maximizing industry support. With its focus in these areas, CSBI complements the life science policy work of the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA), formed by the BIO in 2002.

“At the BayBio Institute, we have seen time and again the important relationship between workforce and economic development,“ said CSBI Acting Co-Chair Lori Lindburg, executive director of the BayBio Institute.“The CSBI offers an opportunity to speak with a unified industry voice, and to share and scale programs across states that the life science industry is uniquely qualified to deliver. By leveraging members’ resources, the CSBI is positioned to make an even greater contribution to the life science industry by inspiring and preparing students, developing employees’ skills, and helping startup companies succeed.”

"Our regional efforts have been creating jobs, stimulating economic growth, and supporting veterans to help save lives and promote green sustainability,” said Kristie Grover, executive director at the BIOCOM Institute. “Now we have a mechanism to share our successful practices and programs with other states. The national CSBI network will have a positive impact on creating meaningful workforce development experiences that strengthen the economy and make real strides in improving Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) education.”

Currently, CSBI is identifying leading state programs for national consideration. These include the BIOCOM Institute’s BioCollaborative workforce competitiveness program and the BayBio Institute’s Expert Network resource for entrepreneurial startups. CSBI is also designing a web-based clearinghouse of all current state-level programs focused on life science education, workforce training and entrepreneurship.

CSBI founding organizations include BayBio Institute, BIOCOM Institute, the Biotechnology Institute, iBIO Institute, KansasBio, MassBioEd, MdBio Foundation and the Oregon Bioscience Association. Forty-one state bioscience organizations are CSBI members with nine (9) additional groups expected to join. The Coalition is co-chaired by BayBio Institute executive director Lori Lindburg and MassBioEd executive director Lance Hartford. The Biotechnology Institute serves as CSBI’s administrative organization. By partnering, CSBI members bring unprecedented access to programs, facilitate national communication, and connect an extensive network of industry professionals.

ABOUT THE BAYBIO INSTITUTE

The BayBio Institute (BBI) is the philanthropic arm of BayBio, Northern California’s life science industry association. BBI strives to ensure that the economic and intellectual power of the region's life science industry and its employees remains strong. By maintaining our focus on programs related to entrepreneurship, science education and life science career development, BBI supports the foundations of life science innovation that have made Northern California the most prominent life science cluster in the world. For more information please visit http://www.baybioinstitute.org

ABOUT THE BIOCOM INSTITUTE

The mission of the BIOCOM Institute is to serve as a bridge between learning institutions and life science companies to create comprehensive education and training initiatives that advance scientific literacy. The Institute helps to ensure a prosperous and productive future for the life science industry. For more information please visit http://www.biocominstitute.org. For more information about the BioCollaborative please visit http://www.biocollaborative.com.

ABOUT THE BIO INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION

The BIO International Convention will highlight the latest trends and the newest opportunities for executives, investors, scientists, policy leaders, and media from around the world. Speakers at the sessions will share breakthroughs in medicine, diagnostics, the environment, energy production, business operations, financing, partnerships, policy issues and food and agriculture. The Convention also features the BIO Business Forum, a unique platform for biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, academic research institutions, and investors from around the world to gather and discuss strategic opportunities. For registration, conference agenda and exhibitor information, visit 2012 BIO International Convention.

Members of the Coalition of State Bioscience Institutes (CSBI)
Arizona BioIndustry Association	MdBio Foundation, Inc.
BayBio Institute	MichBio Institute
Bio Nebraska Life Sciences Association	Mississippi Biotechnology Association
BioNJ	Missouri Institute for Biotechnology and Innovation
BioOhio	Montana Bioscience Alliance
BIOCOM Institute	Nevada Biotechnology & Science Consortium
BioFlorida Institute	New Mexico Biotechnology & Biomedical Association
BioForward	New York Biotechnology Association
Bioscience Association of Maine	Oklahoma Bioscience Institute
Bioscience Association of West Virginia	Oregon Bioscience Association
Biotechnology Institute	Pennsylvania Biotechnology Association
Colorado Bioscience Association	Rhode Island BioGroup – Tech Collective
Delaware BioScience Association	SoCalBio
Georgia Bio	South Dakota Biotech Association
iBIO Institute	Texas Healthcare & Bioscience Institute
Idaho Technology Council	Utah TECH Workforce Foundation
Indiana Health Industry Forum	Virginia Bio
INDUNIV Research Consortium	Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association
Iowa Biotechnology Association
Kansas Bioscience Organization
LifeScience Alley
Life Science Tennessee
Massachusetts Biotechnology Education Foundation