Cultivating the worldwide biosafety profession

A knowledgeable and capable biosafety officer, whether a full-time employee or part-time responsibility, is a foundational element for an organization’s biosafety and biosecurity program. The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a significant demand on the biosafety and biosecurity profession and many countries face an overall shortage of these specialized individuals. Working on the frontlines, and often behind the scenes, the profession remains largely unknown to students interested in pursuing a career in sciences who are steered toward more visible career paths.

In a recent IFBA survey, young scientists were asked to provide their experiences related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in their workplaces, said that “the lack of a degree program specifically in biosafety leads to skilled and experienced biosafety professionals being undervalued by those holding doctorate degrees in adjacent fields”. Formalizing a biosafety career path within the higher education system is a key priority for cultivating a diverse and future biosafety workforce.

This webinar will identify approaches for supporting young scientists and young people with the tools and resources to establish a career within, and/or transition into, the biosafety and biosecurity workforce.

Key learning objectives

• Understand the important role of the biosafety and biosecurity profession in global public health security
• Become familiar with the IFBA’s professional certification and peer-to-peer mentoring programs for individuals handling infectious diseases and biological materials
• Learn about the Youth Declaration for Biosecurity and its call to action from the next generation of biosecurity professionals
• Learn about the IFBA’s initiative to develop an undergraduate degree program in biosafety and biosecurity as a formal career path for today’s youth

Certificate of attendance

All webinar participants can request a certificate of attendance, including a learning outcomes summary, for continuing education purposes.