The Society for Biological Engineering (SBE) believes in advancing the industries, research areas and careers of biological engineers, and related disciplines. We do this by connecting people - with knowledge, community and expertise.
SBE organizes conferences to help advance technical understanding and applications in a wide number of fields within biotechnology. Additionally, we aim to build these conferences to help professionals and trainees working in the field advance their careers. SBE conferences focus on engaging the technical thought leaders in their respective fields to facilitate presentations and conversations that will lead to scientific breakthroughs, while also providing trainees and early career professionals and opportunity to learn, grow and connect.
To support the technical community and ensure inclusive participation, SBE secures funding for its conferences from multiple sources, including sponsorships, exhibits, grants, and registration fees. In 2024, with the generous support of organizations such as the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, AIChE Foundation, and other charitable entities, SBE provided over $200,000 in registration and travel support to students, postdoctoral researchers, and early-career professionals, thereby strengthening the future talent pipeline in biological engineering.
SBE is committed to maintaining affordable registration rates by diversifying its revenue sources and minimizing meeting expenses, ensuring an optimal attendee experience. This commitment involves meticulous venue selection and the cultivation of ongoing partnerships with service providers. SBE aligns its venue selection with the needs of the conference community. For example, for lower cost events, university venues are typically less expensive and are often selected over hotels. As a result of these efforts, registration rates for most SBE many conferences have increased by less than 20% over the last decade.
Through these strategies, SBE aims to create accessible conferences for the community while sustaining a healthy organization capable of planning these events and other initiatives. Thanks to the diligent efforts of its volunteer leaders and staff, SBE continues to serve its community and propel the field of biological engineering into the future.