National Coalition of State Bioscience Institutes Created

July 6, 2012 - PRLog -- Boston/Providence R.I. – July 5th, 2012 – Tech Collective, Rhode Island’s Bioscience and Information Technology Industry Association, has joined 41 other state bioscience associations to form the Coalition of State Bioscience Institutes (CSBI).

CSBI is 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 county. The formation of CSBI was announced at the 2012 BIO International Convention, the industry’s global event for biotechnology that is hosted by the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).

“CSBI was established with a critical focus on setting national standards for STEM education,” said Kathie Shields, executive director of Tech Collective. “Tech Collective is very much interested in that focus and looking forward to not only working with our state bioscience association peers, but also our Rhode Island colleagues and resources to aid in implementing those best practices and programs into our education system here in Rhode Island.”

“CSBI is leveraging resources across the United States… to speak with a united voice for the biotech industry on life science education, workforce development, and entrepreneurship,” said CSBI acting co-chair, Lance Hartford, executive director MassBioEd. “We focus on programs that the life science industry is uniquely positioned to deliver and can be replicated across many states and scaled-up nationally.”
Currently, CSBI is identifying leading state programs for national consideration.  These programs include teacher-training initiatives such as iBIO Institute’s TalentSparks!; workforce competitiveness programs including Oregon Bioscience Association’s BioPro and BIOCOM Institute’s BioCollaborative; and BayBio Institute’s Expert Network resource for entrepreneurs.  CSBI is also designing a web-based clearinghouse of all current state-level programs focused on life science education, workforce training and entrepreneurship.

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, the CSBI complements the life science policy work of the Council of State Bioscience Associations (CSBA), formed by BIO in 2002.

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.  CSBI 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 Tech Collective
Tech Collective is Rhode Island’s Bioscience and Information Technology Industry Association. Uniting industry, government and academic stakeholders, our mission is to inspire, engage, educate and employ a high-skill, high-wage Knowledge Economy in Rhode Island. Since its transition from the Rhode Island Technology Council (RITEC) in 2004, Tech Collective has received more than $6.3M in federal, state and private grant funding to foster industry and workforce awareness, collaboration, and development through forums and initiatives including: Tech10, GRRL Tech, Women in Technology, Bio-Ed, and STEM-based education and training programs for K-16 students as well as incumbent and transitioning workers. Get connected to Tech Collective at www.tech-collective.org, on Facebook (TechCollectiveRI), Twitter (@Tech_Collective), and on Linkedin (Tech Collective).

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