Ms Olivia Ibbotson and Ms Iris Magne presented the work of IBSEN at the London Metropolitan University Student Staff Research Conference Past – Present – Future: Research at London Met which took place at the beginning of July.
The International Biological Security Education Network: an imperative and timely tool for global biosecurity
The risks of scientific research with dual-use concern have increasingly been discussed and analysed in the past two decades. Dual-use research of concern (DURC) is scientific research with significant potential for generating information that could be used to harm national security, the public health, and the environment. The rapid advances in life sciences represent the ever-expanding capabilities for malign use of the research. Although the civil society and government have progressively become aware of the risks of DURC, the efforts deployed lack coordination and there is a clear need for education on these issues in the scientific community.
The newly founded International Biological Security Education Network (IBSEN) funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust aims to rectify this lack of education and to address concerns of dual-use research. The IBSEN objective is to create a global network to raise awareness of the risks of DURC among life scientists and policymakers.
This will be achieved via two main methods: outreach and the development of educational materials in biosecurity. A strong digital presence will be formed through the development of the IBSEN website and the publishing of a quarterly Newsletter which focuses on the projects activities. Educational materials will be developed in various means, including reports, workshops, and methodological tools such as Team-Based Learning exercises. This is complementary of the academic cartoons previously created by the Biological Security Research Centre, which illustrated the role of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) and the Chemical Weapons Convention.