17th Annual Microbiology Student Symposium

How do microscopic life-forms affect our bodies, our economies, our planet, and our understanding of biological processes?  The annual Microbiology Student Symposium (MSS), organized by the Microbial Biology Graduate Student Group at UC Berkeley, has touched on all of these issues in past years.  This year, in addition to addressing deeply stimulating intellectual issues, we're also asking how microbiological techniques and realizations have influenced creative pursuits like art, design, and architecture.

The MSS provides a forum for students researching all topics in microbiology to present their research to an engaged group of students, scientists, and members of the general public interested in microbiology.  This year we are also inviting artists whose work is influenced by or related to microbiology.  Students will give talks and present posters about their research, and artists will present their work and engage in an open dialog about how microbiology and creative pursuits can positively influence each other.  In addition to students and artists, past MSS participants nominate and vote to invite two keynote speakers.  Keynote speakers are typically young professors doing ground-breaking work in applied and basic microbiology.  This year our keynote speakers are Michael Laub from MIT and Victoria Orphan from Caltech.

Importantly, the MSS is open to everyone.  Students of all levels, academics, professionals, and members of the general public are welcome to attend.  We believe that this level openness is essential to accomplishing the goals of the MSS: to stimulate discussion, education, collaboration, and creativity in microbiology and beyond.