The Boston Bacterial Meeting (BBM) brings together bacteriologists from the Boston area and beyond. With attendance now at almost 550 researchers from over 100 academic institutions and biotech companies, BBM offers an exciting cross-section of current microbiology research.
BBM2020 is a virtual conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be held on July 16-17, 2020.
Virtual BBM2020 will include live talks and pre-recorded flash talks in lieu of posters. The deadline for abstract submission for both talk formats has been extended and is now June 10, 2020, and the deadline for registration is July 9, 2020. There is no registration fee for the virtual conference. We are also offering an optional matching system to connect attendees with similar research interests and facilitate networking, collaboration, and mentorship.
If you have not attended BBM previously and wish to receive email alerts about registration and deadlines, please email the organizers at bbm@hms.harvard.edu to be added to our mailing list.
The BBM Organizing Committee’s response to racial injustice:
We are all appalled and overwhelmed by the unjustified use of force against the Black community, the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, and a devastatingly long list of others. As the BBM organizers, we stand in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. We condemn the ongoing violence that has been disproportionately affecting the Black community for centuries.
The extensive participation in protests all over the US and beyond, in the middle of a pandemic, has underscored how critical it is to speak out and take action. Silence also speaks volumes. This is not the time to shy away from conversations and actions simply because they might be uncomfortable. Through silence and inaction, we perpetuate the prejudice and violence that have been part of the daily lives of our Black colleagues and friends, both inside and out of the science community.
As a result of the ongoing pandemic, we as scientists currently have increased visibility, bolstered public trust, and a magnified voice. We have the means to augment underrepresented voices. As scientists, employers, educators, science communicators and clinicians, we have the means to implement real change through abolishing injustice and prejudice in our labs, classrooms, and clinics.
At BBM, we strive to promote inclusivity and diversity. To this end, we are committing to the following:
- Offering a dedicated space for discussion on race and representation by holding a breakout session on Diversity in STEM, where we will be addressing the Black Lives Matter movement.
- In order to accommodate anybody, especially our Black colleagues affected by recent events, we are extending the abstract submission deadline for 2 days. The new deadline will be Wednesday, June 10th.
- Although this year’s registration is free, we have always provided an “Underrepresented Minorities in Biomedical Sciences Scholarship” and we are committed to continuing this in the future.
We acknowledge that there is still work to be done to ensure equity, diversity, and representation both at BBM, and in the scientific community. Below we have provided resources so that you too can take a stand. It is on all of us, especially those of us who have the privilege to speak out, to fight against injustice. This message is also an invitation for comments and suggestions from our participants, for being good allies, and for promoting Black and underrepresented voices. We are here to listen and act together, to make sure that we all enjoy the same privileges and basic human rights.
In Solidarity,
BBM Organizing Committee
Members of our community can take action through some of the following resources:
- Review manuscripts, grants, resumes and CVs of Black students entering STEM fields.
- Donate to bail funds. (Check whether your institution is willing to match your contributions. For the Harvard community: matchmehrvd.com)
- Mental health resources: Make sure your students/post-docs/employees, especially Black and underrepresented minority employees, are aware of mental health resources available to them.
- Resources specialized for Black people experiencing trauma:
- Resources specialized for minorities
- Address disparities in Black and minority representation in academic departments,
- Keep the conversation going and continue to learn:
