CLICK HERE TO REGISTER! (Fee: $125)

A SPECIAL OFFER comes from the Biotechnology Industry Organization to registrants of the 5^th Annual Community College Day. After you register for the Community College Program at BIO 2008, you will be sent a special code allowing you to register for three full days of access to the BIO2008 Exhibition Hall. This access is a value of more than $260. Thank-you, BIO!

8:00 to 8:30am Continental Breakfast

8:30 to 8:45am
Welcome from Secretary Victoria Bradshaw, California Labor and Workforce Development Agency

8:45 to 10:00am
What Is So Special About California Community Colleges Preparing the Applied Biotechnology Workforce?
Dr. Mary Pat Huxley, Director of the California Applied Biotechnology Centers Initiative - Session Chair with panelists, Jeffery O'Neal and Susan Patereau.

Features Partnerships with Biotech Business Incubators, Regional Internship Models, Traveling Laboratory Kits for High Schools and Colleges, Life Science Summer Institute, Biotech Boot Camps for Instructors and Students, and the innovative network that makes these happen through the California Community Colleges.

10:00 to 10:15am BREAK

10:15am to Noon
Biotechnology Centers for Educating and Training the Biotechnology Workforce
Dr. Sonia Wallman, Director of the Northeast Biomanufacturing Center and Collaborative - Session Chair with panelists, Elaine Johnson and Russ Read.

Accomplishments of and collaborations among three Biotechnology Centers, the NSF ATE Bio-Link National Biotechnology Resource Center in San Francisco, the ETA DOL National Centers for the Biotechnology Workforce in North Carolina, and the NSF ATE Northeast Biomanufacturing Center and Collaborative in New Hampshire. Highlights from the NSF sponsored meeting on Educating Biotechnicians for Future Industry Needs will be shared.

Noon to 1:15pm Lunch

1:15 to 2:45pm
Faces of Success - Biotechnology Graduates
Dr. Elaine Johnson, Director of Bio-Link - Session Chair with panelist employees who were educated and trained at community and technical colleges across the nation.

Graduates from community and technical colleges from different parts of the country share their stories. Examples include internship, coop and apprenticeship experiences and highlight the importance of industry mentors. This session was lauded at BIO 2007 as a highlight and is returning for an encore with different panelists.

2:45 to 3:00pm BREAK

3:15 to 4:45pm
Effect of Emerging Industry Sectors on Workforce Education and Training - Nanotechnology, Biofuels, Stem Cells, Information and Convergence of Bio/Nano/lnformation Technologies
Russ Read, Director of the National Centers for Biotechnology Workforce - Session Chair with panelists to be announced.

Community Colleges can, and do, respond quickly to industry needs in emerging technologies. The session will illustrate exemplary programs already in place as well as discuss how to translate the coming changes in technology into practical education and training for the biotechnology industry.

4:45 to 5:00pm Wrap-Up/BIO 2009 (May 17-20 in Atlanta)