Tech Collective joins National Coalition of State Bioscience Institutes

By Emily Greenhalgh
PBN Web Editor
Twitter: @EGreenhalgh

PROVIDENCE – The Tech Collective and 41 other state bioscience associations have formed the Coalition of State Bioscience Institutes, a nationally coordinated effort aimed to help ensure United States’ leadership in bioscience innovation by delivering industry-led life science education, workforce development and entrepreneurship programs across the country.

“CSBI was established with a critical focus on setting national standards for STEM education,” Kathie Shields, executive director of Tech Collective said in prepared remarks.

“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,” added Shields.

CSBI acting co-chair Lance Hartford – the executive director of MassBioEd – said that the organization will speak as a united voice for the biotech industry on life science education, workforce development and entrepreneurship.

“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,” said Hardford.

Currently, CSBI is identifying state programs for national consideration including teacher-training initiatives, workforce competitiveness programs and a network of experts to help entrepreneurs.

According to a release, CSBI is also designing a Web-based clearinghouse of all current state-level programs focused on life science education, workforce 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,” said the release.

In addition to the Tech Collection, current members of the CSBI are as follows:

• 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 Healthcare & Bioscience Institute

• Utah TECH Workforce Foundation

• Virginia Bio

• Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association