US-European Union (EU) Short Course on Environmental Biotechnology co-sponsored by BER

Summary

BER and the European Commission (EC) jointly sponsored a short course for early career scientists on the topic of Molecular Biology for the Environment. The course, which was held at the University of Madrid on February 9-14, was developed under the aegis of the Working Group on Environmental Biotechnology of the US-EC Biotechnology Task Force. Opening ceremonies were attended by Ms. Laura Lochman, the First Secretary for Science and Technology of the U.S. Embassy in Spain. Faculty and students were drawn from the US and eleven EU countries. The 24 students participated in laboratory and field experiments ranging from the latest methods in modern molecular biology to field research at the Prestige oil tanker spill on Spain s Northern Coast. The goal of the course was to foster collaborations between early career scientists in the US and the EU in the field of environmental biotechnology. Such collaborations will help to solve environmental problems common to the US and the EU.