The BioCom Institute, recognized as Live Well San Diego partner in March 2016, is collaborating with the County of San Diego and other local organizations to bring the vision of healthy, safe and thriving communities to children and youth throughout the San Diego region.

STEM Fest Kickoff Event

On Saturday, March 5, the County of San Diego hosted a Live Well San Diego booth at BioCom’s San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering EXPO Day at PETCO Park. More than 24,000 San Diegans attended the free event featuring interactive demonstrations and hands-on activities designed to engage children, youth and families in all that encompasses STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).  County staff from the Live Well San Diego Regional Leadership Teams, Community Health Statistics, Department of Environmental Health and Parks and Recreation co-hosted a Live Well San Diego booth with engaging, educational activities about disease spread  and germs, vector control (malaria), living in harmony with nature and a how-to-cook with native plants demonstration.

The Live Well San Diego logo and message were also included in the event program brochure and branded promotional materials, helping to increase visibility of the Live Well San Diego vision.

County of San Diego Staff share information and resources with children and families on how to increase physical activity
 

Children and families line up to try out the "glow-germ powder" and learn how to prevent disease spread

Department of Environmental Health Staff show children and families mosquitos to teach them about vector control and preventing malaria

County Park Rangers teach festival attendees about San Diego County's native edible plants

Parks and Recreation Staff make buttons for children to inspire them to help protect the natural environment

County Park Rangers show children, youth and families a live snake

Hack-a-Thon for Health

As part of the multi-week 2016 Festival of Science and Engineering, the Biocom Institute worked with LiveGoode Programs & Analytics to put on the Hack-A-Thon for Health.  The Hack-A-Thon brought health related businesses and non-profits together, with data analytics students, to provide pro-bono data analysis to inform the County of San Diego’s regional Live Well San Diego vision. The students analyzed data provided by the County about the four diseases (cancer, lung disease, heart disease, diabetes) that cause over 50% of the deaths in San Diego County, with their final data presentations focused on showing how protective behaviors might reduce the prevalence of these four diseases in the future.  

The weeklong contest kicked off on March 13 with more than 50 high school and college students in attendance. They heard from expert panelists about job opportunities in the STEM industries and learned about the history and impact of the Live Well San Diego vision before delving into the data. Thirty-eight percent of all participants were undergrads, 38 percent were graduate students, 8 percent were from community colleges and 15 percent were from high schools.

Industry professionals evaluated the submissions for accuracy and relevance to community health. Winners presented their findings to organizational leaders and the public on March 22, 2016 at the closing ceremony at Biocom HQ.

Paid Internships and Biotech Training: Advancing Career Opportunities to Underrepresented Groups

BioCom’s Introductory Life Sciences Experience (ILSE) will provide a re-entry path into a STEM career in life science for 40-48 Out-of-School Youth, ages 17-24, who have yet to complete their high school education and have substantial barriers to career pathway planning. The program goal is to assist in the transformation Out-of-School-Youth into professional, competent, and productive life sciences employees. The ILSE Program provides free classroom instruction and hands-on paid internships in biotechnology for out of school youth ages 17-24. The program introduces participants to college level courses such as biotechnology introduction with practical lab experience to foster interest in STEM field careers. In addition, work readiness training and certifications are provided to all youth participants.

Participants will be placed in a fully subsidized, paid, hands-on, life science laboratory internship. Participants will also receive job placement support for post internship work experience. Throughout the program, participants will have access to literacy improvement programs, healthy living counseling, goal setting techniques and assistance, job search tools, and other relevant educational components. They will receive financial counseling designed to teach them how to create a budget and maintain financial responsibility, while learning different ways to finance their educational objectives for higher education.

Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis. Learn more here >>