Seminar Discussion: “Mirror Biology and Centralized Biosecurity Reporting: Bridging Global Asymmetries in Science”

This seminar explores mirror-image biology, synthetic systems, and data governance, emphasizing inclusive global collaboration— linking the America 250 ideals of discovery, security, and shared prosperity.

This seminar is in collaboration with Dr. Noah Reynolds' General Biochemistry class.

This event is open to the public.

Hands-on Workshop: “Scenario-Based Risk Assessment in Laboratory and Public Health Settings”

A practical session applying a 5×5 risk-assessment matrix to case studies in biosafety and biosecurity. Participants will learn to balance innovation with safety, reflecting the American value of responsible scientific advancement.

This workshop is in collaboration with Dr. Jessica Madrigal's Environmental Risk Assessment class.

This event is open to the public.

Water-Energy Sustainability Across Scales: Systems, Society, Self

Ashlynn Stillwell, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will discuss her work on sustainable water and energy systems. Water and energy are closely linked resources with clean water and sanitation services dependent on energy, and fuels production and electric power generation dependent on water. This water-energy nexus spreads across scales to include large-scale infrastructure systems, societal trends and patterns, and individual behaviors.