58: Bio-Design, DIY Biotech Community-Building with Daniel Grushkin, Genspace Co-Founder & Bio-Design Challenge Director 

October 2, 2018

Nonprofit DIY Biotech Space and Bio Design Challenge created in New York by Daniel Grushkin. In this interview, we get into how being a journalist has impacted his life and how he looks at situations, how/why he started Genspace, what Genspace offers, and where he sees things going. This is a fun, quick interview with Dan who is very passionate about ensuring no one gets left behind with the new biotech space he is creating. See the links to check out Genspace, the competition, and how to get involved!  We also get into some of his favorite books and how to chart your path. Anyone with a project that has been burning a hole in their head trying to get out should reach out to Genspace or Dan. If you’re not in the NYC region, don’t let that stop you!

About Dan

“Daniel Grushkin is the founder and executive director of the Biodesign Challenge, an international student competition that partners artists, designers, and biologists to envision the future of biotechnology. He is a cofounder and former executive director of Genspace, a nonprofit community laboratory dedicated to promoting citizen science and access to biotechnology. Fast Company ranked Genspace fourth among the top 10 most innovative education companies in the world.

Dan was a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars where he researched the field of synthetic biology in 2013-2014. He was an Emerging Leader in Biosecurity at the UPMC Center of Health Security in 2014. As a journalist, he has reported on the intersection of biotechnology, culture, and business for publications including Bloomberg Businessweek, Fast Company, Scientific American and Popular Science.” Source

 

 

Genspace NYC

“Genspace is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting citizen science and access to biotechnology. Since 2009 we have served the greater New York area by providing educational outreach, cultural events, and a platform for science innovation at the grassroots level. In December 2010 we opened the first-ever community biotechnology laboratory, a Biosafety Level One facility in Brooklyn, New York, where we offer hands-on courses to the public, provide extracurricular experiences for students, and encourage scientific entrepreneurship, particularly in the fields of molecular and synthetic biology. As a community-based lab, we offer members the unique opportunity to work on their own projects and experience the joy and wonder of science firsthand. “ Source

 

 

About Biodesign Challenge

“The Biodesign Challenge (BDC) is a university competition that offers art and design students the opportunity to envision future applications of biotechnology. Over the course of the spring semester, university classrooms from around the world partner with biologists and subject-matter experts to explore novel uses of biotech and the potential impact of those applications. At the end of the year, each university chooses one team to showcase its project at the BDC Summit at MoMA in New York City. We are looking for a Program Associate to help support 30 incoming universities in 2018. BDC is a program of Genspace, the world’s first community biolab. Genspace is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting science literacy through citizen access to biotechnology. We provide educational outreach, cultural events, and a platform for science innovation at the grassroots level. We value cross-disciplinary practices and understand the significance of creating an environment in which people from all backgrounds can exchange new methodologies and practices, and provide a platform for collaborations, innovations, and critical dialogue. ” Source

Links

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