46 Teams to Present Online at BDC Summit 2020

June 15-19, 2020 – Students from across 12 countries have spent the academic year developing projects that bridge art, design, and biology as part of Biodesign Challenge 2020. On June 15-19, 45 finalist teams will showcase their projects that harness the power of biology to address global challenges.

 Selected from over 500 students at 44 universities and high schools, the finalists will present their research online to leading experts in academia, industry, and the arts, who will judge and award prizes. Each year, projects explore a range of topics including biotechnology’s use in medicine, architecture, materials, energy, food, fashion, and other fields.

Speakers include David Benjamin, Founding Principal of The Living and Associate Professor at Columbia GSAPP, who will deliver the keynote, and Annalee Newitz, award-winning science fiction author and science journalist, who will chat with Torie Bosch, Editor of Future Tense. Both speaking sessions will be held on Friday, June 19th. 

Participants will compete for awards including the grand prize, the Glass Microbe. This year’s sponsored prizes include the MANA Prize for the Future of Beauty and the Science Sandbox Prize for Public Engagement, sponsored by the Simons Foundation.

Biodesign Challenge aims to foster the first generation of biodesigners to use the life sciences as a tool for a healthier, safer, and more sustainable future. The students come from across disciplines to explore the ethical implications of current and future biotech. “This emerging group of artists, scientists, and designers is uniquely suited to respond to today’s global challenges,” says Daniel Grushkin, founder and Executive Director of Biodesign Challenge.

Past BDC student teams have turned their projects into venture-backed companies and have collectively raised over $2.5 million in funds. Their projects and designs have won awards including the H&M Global Change Award and the National Geographic Chasing Genius Award. They have exhibited at museums, galleries, and design festivals around the world, including Dutch Design Week, NYCxDesign, London Design Festival, the Tech Museum, and elsewhere.