Requirements

This page outlines the requirements for team structure and project deliverables.

Registration fees

Team: Team registration is 30000 JPY. This is due before May 31, 2023 in order to reserve a team presentation slot at the Jamboree.
Individual: The nonrefundable Jamboree registration fee is TBD JPY per person (not including hotel lodging), due September 15, 2023.
Where does my fee go? Registration fees cover program expenses including renting the venue, A/V, catering, photographer, t-shirts, award certificates, transportation, and website development.

Team structure

Mentoring: Each team must have at least one faculty advisor. We also recommend having at least one graduate student or postdoc mentor available to work closely with students during the summer.
Size: Teams should have a maximum of 8 undergraduate students per team. Faculty advisors do not count toward this limit. We request that you only register one team per institution.
Scope: Project planning is entirely up to the team. Given time constraints for presenting the work, we recommend that each team focus on a single project.
Composition: Teams should consist primarily of undergraduate students (studying towards a bachelor’s degree, or graduating this year) at an accredited college or university. High school students are welcome to join a university-led team. Graduate students and postdocs should serve as mentors.

Project Timeline

This is a rough suggestion for how a BIOMOD team might organize their project. Please also note the important deadlines on this page.

April–May: Team organizers should recruit team members: post fliers and email announcements, interview interested students, and send notifications early while everyone is still finalizing their school-year plans.
April–May: Register your team. Students should begin independent background reading to start learning about topics that may interest them. Organize brainstorming meetings to determine project topic.
June–October: Do the project! Also, start planning the YouTube video as early as possible. Book travel arrangements and apply for Visas if necessary. Register for Jamboree.
October–November: Complete project website, video, and presentation. Prepare to travel!

Project Deliverables

Each team should produce the following before the posted judging deadlines.

Project Website documenting the project goals, data, and results
YouTube video summarizing the project (3 minutes max)
Presentation at the Jamboree (10 minutes)

Intellectual Property

BIOMOD is meant to foster the open exchange of ideas. Teams are welcome to apply for provisional patent protection on any intellectual property (IP) generated during their project, but teams should ensure that any IP protection is in place before the beginning of the judging process, and be ready to disclose any technical details related to their project at the jamboree.

Code of Conduct

The BIOMOD mission is to promote science and science education. This pursuit requires a shared commitment to the core values of BIOMOD as well as a commitment to ethical conduct in all BIOMOD-related activities. We expect all participants to conduct themselves ethically, honestly and with integrity in all dealings. BIOMOD participants should treat each other with respect and dignity. BIOMOD prohibits discrimination and harassment and provides equal opportunities for all community members regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, or citizenship. BIOMOD participants engaged in research are not to: fabricate data or results; change or knowingly omit data or results to misrepresent results in the research record; or intentionally misappropriate the ideas, writings, research, or findings of others.

Frequently asked questions

How many people can we have on our team? Team size is limited to 8 undergraduate students, 2 graduate student/post-doctoral student mentors, and 2 faculty mentors.

How many team members can travel to the Jamboree? Participation in the Jamboree is limited to 8 undergraduate students, 2 graduate student/post-doctoral scholar mentors, and up to 2 faculty mentors.

Why do you have team size limits? One reason is due to the size of the Jamboree venue; we want to be able to fit everyone in the room and abide the safety rules and capacity limits imposed by the City of San Francisco. The second concern is maximizing fairness for all participants in BIOMOD. If a team with more than 8 students earns a top score, then other teams who followed the rules may feel that the top team had an unfair advantage. In addition, any members of a larger team who are forced to stay home while the rest of the team travels may feel frustrated. It is typically easier to avoid those issues at the time of team formation rather than letting too many people join and invest a lot of effort before they are denied the chance to attend. An interview process can help narrow down the final team roster. Of course, it is possible for larger teams to form and then only send 8 students to the Jamboree, which is impossible for the BIOMOD organizers to enforce. However, any teams that do not follow the size limit rules risk being disqualified for consideration for awards, and perhaps future participation in BIOMOD if we experience repeated problems.

What happens if we exceed the team size limit? Team that do not follow the size limit rules risk being disqualified for consideration for awards, and perhaps future participation in BIOMOD events.

What is a faculty mentor? A team’s faculty mentor must be a tenure-track professor from an accredited university.

Is our team’s faculty mentor required to pay individual registration fees? No, up to two faculty mentors from each institution are given complimentary registration. However, faculty mentors are required to complete individual registration information in order to attend the Jamboree.

What is a graduate or post-doctoral student mentor? A team’s graduate student or post-doc mentor must have completed their BS degree and currently be working toward a post-graduate degree or be working to complete their post-doctoral assignment.

Are our team’s graduate student and/or post-doctoral student mentor required to pay individual registration fees? Yes, individual registration fees are required for all undergraduate student, graduate student and post-doctoral scholar team members.

Not all of our team members can travel to the Jamboree. Can they still receive a certificate of participation? Yes, we are happy to provide participation certificates to team members who are not able to travel. The cost for each certificate is $40. Extra participation certificates may be ordered here: https://biomod.wufoo.com/forms/biomod-certificate-request/

Who are the judges? Judging are selected from a pool of past and present BIOMOD faculty mentors and outside experts. Judges are not assigned to evaluate a team from their own institution.

What if our project requires patent protection? BIOMOD is meant to foster the open exchange of ideas. Teams are welcome to apply for provisional patent protection on any intellectual property (IP) generated during their project, but teams should ensure that any IP protection is in place before the beginning of the judging process, and be ready to disclose any technical details related to their project at the jamboree.

I paid my individual registration and now I cannot attend the Jamboree. Can fees be refunded? Individual registration fees are not refundable, however may be transferred to another team member.

Can the primary contact for our team be changed? Yes, please email Rebecca Wheeler (rebecca@biomod.net) to change primary contact information.

Is the Jamboree open to the public? No, given the size limits of the auditorium, the Jamboree is not open to the public. We do have a limited number of day passes available for pre-registered guests at a cost of $125 per day. Please contact Rebecca Wheeler for more information on guest registration. We do accept tax-deductible sponsorships which may include Jamboree registrations, depending on the level of support.

What are the specifications of the presentation room? Projects are presented in the Byers Auditorium at UCSF. The auditorium is 2,317 sq. ft, with a capacity for 261 people. The room is equipped with a Proxima 9550 double projector and the projection screen measures 40 feet wide. There is a wooden podium with a fixed microphone, 2 wireless hand-held microphones and one clip-on lavalier microphone. Food and drinks are not allowed in the auditorium at any time.