SF BUILD and CEC Enable Student Voices at SACNAS

Leaders of the SF BUILD project delivered pre-conference workshops in collaboration with CEC leadership at the annual SACNAS meeting. The pre-conference activities began with a workshop that engaged students in thinking about and sharing the personal assets they bring to science. This included their ability to pursue their dreams despite setbacks, and a commitment to benefitting the communities they come from. Participants then connected with one another via a mixer designed to increase their social capital in science by enlarging their scientific networks. The pre-conference session ended with a workshop on creating and delivering a Spoken Word performance. Participants shared stories of resiliency and hope in science, with one another. Additionally, some Spoken Word performances were disseminated via social media. Overall, participants left inspired to continue their own path in biomedical research, and to enable others to do the same by sharing their personal assets, scientific networks, and voices for change.