In the face of the BioRevolution, how do we ensure all voices are heard as our science accelerates? In which ways can we share knowledge with other communities? Join this panel for a discussion on the democratisation of synbio.

How can you participate? Join us in person or online by registering for the Zoom Meeting or watching live on YouTube!

Have questions? Send them to info.4@concordia.ca

Kevin Chen

Kevin is an organizer, founder and bio-enthusiast. He is the CEO and cofounder of Hyasynth Bio, a local startup producing cannabinoids using engineered yeast, and a founder and organizer of Bricobio, which aims to make biotech more accessible to citizens, makers and hackers. Hyasynth has raised >$12M, employed >25 scientists since its founding in 2014 and continues to grow. He has been an organizer and leadership coach for the Community Biosummit, hosted by the MIT Media Lab. And he has engaged with government as an invited speaker for the DIYbio Summit, hosted by the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Jonathan Jarry

Jonathan Jarry is a science communicator with McGill University’s Office for Science and Society (OSS), dedicated to separating sense from nonsense on the scientific stage. He has a Master’s degree in molecular biology and he brings his experience in cancer research, human genetics, rehabilitation research, and forensic biology to the work he does for the public. He co-hosts the award-winning podcast The Body of Evidence and talks about science most Fridays on CTV Montreal News.

Manon Tremblay

Manon Tremblay is a nêhiyaw-iskwêw (Plains Cree) from the Muskeg Lake Cree Nation.  She stepped into her role as Senior Director, Indigenous Directions in December 2019. Prior to joining the Office of the Provost, Manon was the Director, Indigenous Research at the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) where she led the initiative to build Indigenous research capacity.  She also held the position of Senior Project Leader for the Public Service Commission of Canada’s Aboriginal Centre of Expertise where she worked in strategic Indigenous recruitment programs and Indigenous talent management. Manon has spent 18 years of her career as a university student services administrator, part-time faculty and senior advisor on Indigenous affairs, first at Concordia University and then at the University of Ottawa. Manon is a recipient of the 2016 Public Service Award of Excellence.

Paul Rubery

Paul (he/him) is the Executive Director of Biodesign Challenge. He studied Art History with an emphasis on Visual Cultural Studies at the University of Rochester before pursuing a Ph.D. in Art History, Theory & Criticism at Stony Brook University. He has occupied various roles in cultural nonprofits, serving most recently as the chief curator of a historic natural history museum on Long Island. His research interests include the history of photography, artistic responses to anthropogenic climate change, and the phenomenology of science. As a nonprofit administrator, Paul aims to extend access to STEAM education and to advance the critical discourse around biotechnology. His published writings can be found in the Journal of Visual Culture, Media-N: The Journal of the New Media Caucus of the CAA, and Continental Philosophy Review.