Northwest Association for Biomedical Research

Annual Dinner

Benefits/Services

3Is

IACUC

IRB

Join NWABR

Membership Benefits and Services

Our membership is made up of caring citizens, compassionate researchers and committed organizations. Individuals choose to contribute to NWABR because they recognize that friends, family members and loved ones have benefited from advances in biomedical research. Organizations choose to join NWABR because they recognize the continuing critical need to provide the public credible information about the invaluable biomedical research that takes place every day in our state, engaging thousands of researchers and saving millions of lives.

Members also receive ENewsNotes, our NWABR newsletter, which features articles about our institutional and educational programs, and provides updates about coming events. An archive of IRB Resources compiled from our 'IRB Fresh Sheet' is also available.

Support and Resources for Member Organizations

Professional development programs
Safety and security briefings
Opportunities for networking
Advocacy

Educating the Public About Biomedical Research

Community Outreach
Media Outreach
K-12 Education Outreach

SUPPORT AND RESOURCES FOR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

Professional development programs
NWABR is committed to supporting our member organizations with special professional development experiences. NWABR provides highly regarded IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee) and IRB training workshops. The trainings provide opportunities to discuss the rigorous regulations that govern the duties and responsibilities of these committees, and facilitates the exchange of ideas of members who serve in different capacities.

We assist members in describing the importance of their work to the public and to elected officials. NWABR trains animal care providers on how to positively communicate their work. We also provide a Communications Manual for members who speak with the public or the media, and assist members in adapting materials to their needs.

Safety and security briefings
NWABR holds briefings for security staff from member organizations on safeguarding research facilities and anti-research groups active in the Northwest. The men and women who participate in NWABR's Security Network have become important resources for one another, and regularly convene to address important safely and security issues such as how to best prepare for and handle bomb threats (presented in conjunction with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms), and how to manage suspicious mail and packages (presented in conjunction with U.S. Postal Inspectors). We are proud to partner with our Security Network to provide crisis communications and ongoing support to all our research facilities.

Opportunities for networking among the research community
We recognize the importance of promoting relationships between members of our community. Our programs and events draw together leaders from across the biomedical research community in the Pacific Northwest, providing unique opportunities for networking and collaboration.

EDUCATING THE PUBLIC ABOUT BIOSCIENCE RESEARCH

Community Outreach
NWABR presents community forums to help educate the public about bioscience research. For example, NWABR presents "Science on Tap" in several locations throughout Washington State to bring the excitement of scientific research directly to the public in an informal setting.

NWABR also collaborates with the Washington Biotechnology & Biomedical Association and the Pacific Science Center on an annual Life Sciences Research week that engages thousands of adults and young people in highly interactive science events.

We actively disseminate information about biomedical research at conferences and outreach events through our display booth. NWABR's web site and print resources help us circulate information and programs from national organizations, federal agencies, state biomedical research associations, and other organizations that support our mission.

Media Outreach
NWABR serves as a liaison and resource for the media on behalf of our membership. NWABR monitors anti-research groups and provides pre-emptive media briefings around events planned by such groups.

K-12 Education Outreach
The National Institutes of Health granted a five-year Science Education Partnership Award for NWABR to develop the Collaborations to Understand Research and Ethics (CURE) Program. CURE increases the understanding of the ethical dimensions of science among Northwest teachers, their students, and the general public. Nationally recognized scientists, ethicists, and educators are partnering to develop curricular materials targeted at secondary school science classes.

During the Ethics in the Science Classroom program, teachers actively participate in model classroom activities and acquire tools needed to effectively engage students in critical discussions about ethical issues surrounding science. The relationships we build with these teachers are strong; they leave with a teaching framework and lesson plans that empower them to raise complex issues of health and medicine throughout their curriculum.

NWABR also provides specialized professional education programs designed to support excellence in science education. Our State-wide Speakers' Bureau, which has been in existence since 1989, is recognized as a valuable resource in the local science education community. It consists of scientists, science professionals, and patients willing to speak about biomedical research and related topics. The Bureau allows us to reach thousands of students annually, and is growing to accommodate the strong interest among educators in connecting students with scientists and science professionals.

NWABR conducts the 'Biomedical Breakthroughs' essay and poster contest for middle school students, which highlights the need for an understanding of the process of research. The contest features awards totaling more than $1,000. Winners are invited to participate in an awards ceremony and a visit to a local research institution. In 2004, over 500 students from the Pacific Northwest region participated in the contest.