This thread is for the candidate statement of the 2023 GOSH Community Council Election candidate Sakti Subramanian (@SynBio101). Sakti, you can reply to this post with your candidate statement. I have included the candidate statement template below for your reference:
2023 GOSH Community Council Election Candidate Statement Template
1. Candidate Name:
2. Please provide a short biography, and describe some of your participation and contributions in the GOSH community (approximately 3-5 sentences):
3. Please provide a position statement (approximately 3-5 sentences) indicating why you are running for Community Council, your priorities for the community, and what you hope to achieve:
4. Tell us how your experience, skills, and/or qualifications allow for effectively serving and governing communities (approximately 2-3 sentences):
5. Please detail which of the eight existing Community Council governance domain(s) you are interested in taking on (this does not have to be a firm commitment), plus what you would like to do within that domain(s). (approximately 2-3 sentences)
6. Please confirm that you are able and willing to participate in regularly scheduled council meetings at least twice a month.
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Candidate Name
Sakti Subramanian
Candidate Biography
I am a Systems and Synthetic Biology researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) College of Medicine. I currently serve as the Executive Director of the Great Lakes SynBio Association and Head of iGEM Community’s SynBio 101 Project. Through these endeavors, I seek to expand comprehensive synthetic biology education to the students of under-served or under-represented regions. Previously, I served as the Research Director of iGEM Friendzymes and Steering Committee Member of Reclone, enabling community-driven production of diagnostics and reagents. I have worked closely with the GOSH Community as part of both my current and past endeavors.
Position Statement
I am running for the Community Council because, having begun my career in a community lab working on community-driven diagnostics, I believe in the importance of an open science ecosystem which prioritizes international collaboration and inclusion. While the science community may be strong in cities such as Boston and San Francisco, that has not been the case for the rest of the US or the world. As part of the Community Council, one of my priorities will be to build off my past work and strengthen GOSH’s international presence, allowing global stakeholders to engage in meaningful discourse regarding open science. Specifically, I hope to achieve further GOSH progress in the areas of low-cost tools and STEM education. I would also like to strengthen GOSH’s relationship with similar communities, such as iGEM.
Qualifications
With a strong background in open science education, open science community development, and synthetic biology hardware, I will be able to effectively serve and govern the GOSH Community. I have led multiple efforts in ensuring that synthetic biology is accessible to a variety of groups, across different continents and age levels through diagnostic manufacturing and education. I have maintained active leadership roles and relationships in multiple relevant communities, including Reclone, iGEM, JOGL, Friendzymes, and regional associations.
Community Council Domains
- Gatherings/Events: I would like to lead and contribute to GOSH gatherings in the Midwest US, as well as Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, building off prior events in those regions from the Great Lakes SynBio Association and iGEM Community’s SynBio 101 Project.
- Community Support: I would like to lead management of the community and provide assistance to members of the community, ensuring that GOSH provides a welcoming open science community that inspires the next generation of scientists to pursue research in low-cost hardware tools.
Yes, I am able and willing to participate regularly in council meetings at least twice a month.
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