GMS Sponsors Successful Bio-Diversity Networking Event
The Initiative for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at GMS sponsored the Bio-Diversity Networking Night on Thursday, April 11. The event allowed the BUSM community, particularly those from underrepresented minority groups, to network with industry professionals from across the city’s pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields.
During the three-hour event held in Hiebert Lounge more than 50 BUSM students and trainees joined 100 industry professionals, where they discussed business development, collaboration and networking, and spent time socializing and enjoying music. The evening was part of a series of quarterly mixers originally conceptualized by the Color of Biotech Massachusetts, a group of employee resource groups at companies including Genzyme, Biogen, Pfizer, Takeda and Vertex. Additional co-sponsors included BU BEST (Broadening Experience in Scientific Training) and BMC’s Minority Physician Recruitment office.
The evening activities featured a panel discussion, From Bench to Bedside: The Broader Impact of Research & Industry for Underserved Communities. Panelists included: Clinical Research Director, Sanofi Immunology & Inflammation Development Therapeutic Area Raolat Abdulai, MD, MMSc; BUSM Assistant Professor of Medicine, Epidemiologist, BU Slone Epidemiology Center Traci N. Bethea, PhD; Senior Principal Scientist, Internal Medicine Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development Michael Green, PhD; and Vice President of Corporate Development, Emulate, Inc. Stanley O. King, ll, PhD.
“The goal of the evening was two-fold. Primarily, we are committed to providing rich educational experiences for our student community, and wanted to facilitate opportunities for current graduate students, medical students and trainees to network with a diverse group of industry professionals. In addition, we recognize the need to train a diverse biomedical workforce that can meet the ever-changing needs of our diverse society. Therefore, we also wanted to engage outside stakeholders in an effort to promote cross-collaboration between academia and industry as we look to promote more diverse representation in the biomedical sciences We hope to hold more events like this,” said GMS Diversity and Inclusion Manager Farrah Belizaire.
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To learn more, contact GMS Manager of Diversity & Inclusion Farrah Belizaire.
About GMS Initiative for Diversity Equity & Inclusion
Graduate Medical Sciences believes that an enriching educational experience is strengthened by diversity of thought which in turn drives the forces of innovation. We embrace differences in ethnicity, race, gender identity and expression, disability status, religion, sexual orientation, immigration status and socioeconomic backgrounds in our learning community.
We strive to create a culture and climate that demonstrates these beliefs by developing academic, clinical and research programming that aims to educate, recruit and retain an inclusive community that will prepare future generations of biomedical research and clinical leaders and meet the needs of an ever-changing diverse society that exemplifies social justice.
About the Color of Biotech Massachusetts
In 2017 a group of professionals of color from Sanofi Genzyme, Biogen, Pfizer, Shire and Vertex came together to create a business networking opportunity for people of color working primarily in the Kendall Square and the Seaport areas, both of which have quickly become global hubs of scientific innovation and business opportunity. While many people of color are working in Biotech and Pharma, there are not many opportunities for us to come together for business development, social exchange and networking. From R&D and manufacturing to sales and HR to legal and finance there are many people of color working and thriving in Biotech and Pharma. Come and join our growing community. Our host sites rotate for each gathering.
About BMC Minority Physician Recruitment
The Office of Minority Physician Recruitment is committed to the recruitment and advancement of underrepresented minority (URM) physicians within our residency and fellowship ranks. Through partnerships with our residency and fellowship programs, clinical departments, and administrative offices we aim to provide a diverse physician staff in order to enhance the quality of care for the patients we serve. We define underrepresented minorities in medicine as: Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Pacific Islander, Native American and Native Hawaiian.