Jamboree

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Pre-Jamboree

Jamboree Registration

Registration for the iGEM 2009 Jamboree is due on September 18th. A Jamboree attendance fee of $175.00 USD is required for each undergraduate or high school student and $375.00 USD for all instructors, grad students, advisors, and other attendees. Registration after September 18th will increase $50.00 and all payments must be received by October 2, 2009. Head to the attendance fee page to find out more details on how to register.

Project Abstract

In order to provide others with a summary of what your project is about, we will be asking each iGEM team to submit an abstract of 100-150 words by September 18th. Your abstract will be used in the Jamboree program that will provide a guide to the different topics that iGEM teams will be presenting. Please see the project abstract page for more details.

Team Roster

In order to get a final list of team members, each team must finalize their team roster by September 18th. For your roster to be finalized, each team member must have a user account and be listed on the Team Information page. Note that all members must be confirmed and NOT listed as "pending" (i.e. they should be in the Team Roster section of the Team Information page. See this example. Be sure to include all members who participated over the summer, not only those who will be attending the Jamboree, as this list will be used to create participation certificates (so check for spelling mistakes too!).

For more information on how to add members/edit your Team Information page see the iGEM team Registration Handbook.

Requests for Variance

One of the requirements for iGEM is that teams are required to provide their parts to the Registry as standard biological parts in standard BioBrick plasmids. If a team wishes to use a different plasmid or different assembly method, they must document the new standard, explain their decision, and receive approval from iGEM Headquarters before September 18th. Parts in standards that are not approved by the judging committee will be judged as if no parts were submitted. See the Judging page for more details and examples. Please send your requests to judging AT igem DOT org.

Tracks

Track selection helps group similar projects together so that they may be judged fairly, share presentation time, and poster location. It is important that you submit your track selection on time, by September 18th. You can find a list of the tracks on the tracks selection page and see judging criteria for each track. Email your top 3 track selections, in order of preference, to hq AT igem DOT org.

Visa Letters

In iGEM 2008 there were several teams that were not able to attend the Jamboree due to visa problems. In order to avoid a similar problem this year, we asked that all teams apply for visas by June 1 at the latest. If you need to apply for a visa to come to the Jamboree, you can use our online form and print out an official invitation letter.

iGEM Headquarters does not have any authority over consulate offices or the visa application process. The only way to have the highest chance of obtaining a visa is to apply early. If you do not yet know who will be attending the Jamboree in November, err on the side of caution and have all members apply for a visa.

Documentation

Project: According to the iGEM requirements, each iGEM team's project should be documented on the iGEM 2009 wiki site with detail enough to replicate it independently. Additional presentational information about the team - their story, the rationale for the project, failures, successes, future work, etc. - is highly encouraged. Remember that these wiki pages will be the main source of inspiration for future teams, and having good documentation on them and in the part description in the registry increases the likelihood of more teams building on your project and your parts. What is considered proper documentation is decided by the judging committee and you can find details about proper documentation at the Judging page.

Parts: iGEM requirements also state that all teams must properly document their parts on the [http://partsregistry.org Registry]. The judging committee also decides what is considered proper part documentation. See the Judging page for details. Remember, the success of not just iGEM, but all of synthetic biology, depends on the development of well-characterized, reliable, standardized biological parts that have been designed to be simple to use and understand.

DNA Submissions

iGEM teams are expected to submit their parts to the [http://partsregistry.org Registry of Standard Biological Parts]. In addition to submitting your parts, you must also declare which of you parts are you "favorites." Judges will only be looking at favorite parts so make sure to promote them before the October 21st deadline.

See the DNA submission requirements for more information about the DNA submission process.

Poster Requirements

There will be two poster sessions at the iGEM 2009 Jamboree. Each team will be assigned to ONE of the two poster sessions. Locations will be assigned prior to your arrival at the Jamboree. You will be required to put up your poster by 9am on the day of your session. Posters shall be NO LARGER than 48 inches by 48 inches (1.22m x 1.22m).

For details on poster judging see the judging page. Keep in mind that the poster must be able to convey your team's project fully. It should be able to be judged without any external information or input from team members.

iGEM HQ will be asking for a copy of your poster in pdf format for our files. You will be required to provide the pdf version of your poster at the time of your presentation.

Presentation Requirements

Each registered iGEM team is to make a 20-minute presentation, followed by 5 minutes of questions/answer session. A laptop will NOT be provided to your team -- please make sure you bring your own laptop from which to display your presentation as well as any necessary accessories to connect the laptop to a projector cable.

iGEM HQ will also be asking for a copy of your presentation in pdf format for our files. You will be required to provide the pdf version of your presentation on Saturday, the day of Jamboree presentations. Please check back for more details on how to submit your presentation.

Software Tools Track

More details will be provided for the software tools track as the iGEM season progresses.

Experimental Track

The non-competition teams will be given the opportunity to present their work in a exposition part of the Jamboree. Teams will give 5-minute presentations, have poster space to present their posters, and compete for a special track specific award (they will not be eligible for the same awards as the traditional iGEM teams). Details about this track can be found on the Experimental track page.

Photo Release Form

Some of the products of the previous iGEM Jamborees are the iGEM from Above photographs. The use of these photographs, and all others from the Jamboree, was made possible due to the existence of a filled-out photo release form from every person attending the Jamboree. We must do the same for this year's Jamboree. In order to comply with the law, every person attending the Jamboree must fill out a photo release form. All participants attending the Jamboree must print, fill out, and bring a photo release form with you to the Jamboree.

Hotels

iGEM does not provide travel or housing for any iGEM members. Participants are required to make their own travel and lodging arrangements. However, we have arranged for iGEM room blocks with special pricing at nearby hotels. All iGEM Block rooms are available on a first-come, first-serve basis so it is recommended that you make your reservations early.

Guests

Guests, family, and friends are welcome to come to the Jamboree. Each must register and pay the Jamboree attendance fee. There will be registration on site for last minute attendees but note that there is a $50 fee increase after September 18.

As space is limited in presentation rooms and at the awards ceremony, preference will be given to iGEM team members. Extra seating will be available on a space available basis. Payment of the Jamboree attendance fee does not guarantee a seat in presentation rooms or at the awards ceremony.

Volunteer

There will be many opportunities to volunteer at the Jamboree. We would especially like to encourage past iGEM participants (iGEM alums) to volunteer to help during the Jamboree. Head to the Volunteer page to find out more information.

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During the Jamboree

Welcome to the iGEM 2009 Jamboree! The next few days will be full of exciting presentations, stimulating conversations, well-deserved awards, and most of all, a lot of fun. The following information will guide you through the whole Jamboree event from what to expect at Friday night practice all the way up to the awards ceremony on Monday. Please read through this whole guide! It contains useful instructions and information that will ensure your Jamboree experience will go as smoothly as possible. And as a special note to team leaders, you will have some extra responsibilities so please make sure you are aware of what you are expected to do.

If you have a question at any point during the Jamboree, just look for one of the iGEM staff members in the black iGEM pullovers.

Note: For all locations on the MIT campus – Stata Center, Lobby 13, Compton Lounge, and other event locations, consult the map in your registration packet.

Schedule

For the iGEM 2009 schedule, please see the schedule page.

Check-In

Teams can check-in Friday night (October 30) for the Jamboree beginning at 6pm. Check-in will take place at the Compton Lounge (Building 26). See the location on the map provided on the wiki and in your registration packet.

At Check-in you will pick up your team box containing team member badges, participation certificates, registration packets, lunch tickets, and other important and useful information. Each team leader will be responsible for picking up the team box. This means that each member of the team DOES NOT have to stand in line at check-in. Important: in order to pick up your team box, you will be required to turn in all photo release forms for each person that is on your team roster. The release forms are absolutely necessary (see section on release forms below). Check-in personnel will check off each release form for each team member. Badge(s) pertaining to each person missing a release form will be held at Check-in until the form has been turned in. Badges will be necessary for entrance into presentation rooms, events, and for access to food.

Guest Check-in begins Friday (October 30) at 6pm, also in the Compton Lounge. If you did not register online, it will be possible to register on-site at Compton Lounge during the course of the Jamboree. On Monday, however, on-site registration will take place at Kresge Auditorium. Registration costs $225 for undergraduates and high school students, and $425 for everyone else.

Badges

You will receive your name badge as part of your team box, as long as you have submitted your photo release form. Please wear your badge at all times during the Jamboree and make sure it is clearly visible. Badges will be necessary for entrance into presentation rooms, for access to food, and for the iGEM social event. If you do not have a badge, you must register in order to obtain one.

Friday Night Practice

Teams will be allowed to practice on Friday night (October 30) in the Stata Center, beginning at 6:00pm. You can practice your presentation, and get to know fellow iGEM members. There are a limited number of rooms available, so please check availability online. We cannot match the practice room with the room you will give your presentation in on Saturday or Sunday. Note that there will not be technical staff on hand to help with audio/visual equipment. Please leave all presentation rooms in the condition that you found them. Friday night practice will run from 6:00pm to 10:00pm, and there will also be pizza and soda provided on a first come, first serve basis.

Depending on your practice presentation room (32-261, 32-262, 32-346, 32-397), your team will need an iGEM staff member to escort you to your room as they are in a limited-access part of the Stata Center. Additionally, these rooms are small conference rooms. Saturday sessions will not be held in these rooms but in order to accommodate all teams who would like to practice their presentations in the 4-hour period on Friday night, we must open these rooms for practice sessions.

Check the practice sessions page for availability. As the wiki has now been frozen, please email Meagan with your team name and the letter and # of the slot that you would like to reserve.

See details in the Posters section below on when you can set up your team poster. Note that this is different from previous years.

Photo Release

One of the products of the iGEM 2008 Jamboree was the iGEM from Above photograph. The use of this photograph, and all others from the 2008 Jamboree, was made possible due to the existence of a filled-out photo release form from every person attending the Jamboree. We must do the same for the 2009 Jamboree. In order to comply with the law, every person attending the Jamboree must fill out a photo release form. There is a copy of the release form on the 2009 iGEM wiki that you should print, fill out, and bring with you to the Jamboree. Note: Team leaders, you must have a filled-out photo release form for each member of your team that is on the official roster before you can pick up your team member badges and team box. There will also be blank copies available at registration for you to fill out if you need another copy. If you have any questions or need further clarification, feel free to ask an iGEM staff member (in the black iGEM pullovers).

Go to the Release form page for an online and pdf version of the form.

Team Leaders

As mentioned above, team leaders have a few responsibilities. Each team leader (or a designated representative) will be responsible for gathering all team member photo release forms and handing them in at Check-in at Compton Lounge in order to obtain your team box. Team leaders are responsible for making sure individual team members receive the materials in the box. On Monday at Kresge Auditorium, team leaders will pickup their team medals after the ceremony.

Team Boxes

Your team box will contain the following:

• Team member badges
• Map of iGEM events
• Team member certificates
• Jamboree Handbook
• Program & Schedule
• Team-Specific Information
• Lunch Tickets
• iGEM 2009 Social Event Info
• Internet Connection Instructions
• Sponsor Information
• Other Information

Notes: Team leaders are responsible for picking up team boxes and ensuring individual team members receive the necessary materials. Badges are to be worn at all times.

Posters

Each team is required to present a poster at the Jamboree. There are two poster sessions, session ‘A’ on Saturday and session ‘B’ on Sunday, and your team will be assigned to ONE session. Furthermore, poster locations are assigned for each team in either the Stata Center or Lobby 13. Please see your poster information sheet, in your team box, for your team’s poster location.

The poster must be no larger than 4 ft (48 in, 121.92 cm) by 4 ft (48 in, 121.92cm). Each team may only put up ONE poster. The poster should be hung up on one of the poster stands that will be set up in the Stata Center, 1st and 4th floors, and Lobby 13, 1st floor.

Clear push pins, included in the team box, are to be affixed to each poster board. Please only use these clear push pins. Do not use tape or the grey pins along the edge of the board. The grey pins hold the poster board onto the frame, and if they are removed, the board will fall. Teams can setup their posters beginning at 8am on Saturday or Sunday depending on their session assignment.

Poster judges will be roaming throughout the day Saturday and Sunday. A green sticker affixed to your poster will indicate that it has been judged. The poster receptions will be held on Saturday and Sunday from 5pm and 7pm in the Stata Center and Lobby 13.

Posters must be removed immediately following the poster receptions on both Saturday and Sunday, both of which end at 7pm. Please be sure to remove your poster at the end of the reception. Any remaining posters will not be saved.

iGEM around MIT campus

Campus map

Due to the size of this year’s Jamboree, we have established two home bases on the MIT campus – the Stata Center and Lobby 13. The home bases, which are separated by project track, will serve as a central meeting point and hold team posters.

Team presentations will take place in five rooms across the MIT campus: 32-123, 54-100, 10-250, 34-101 and 26-100. Please note that these presentation rooms are located across the MIT campus in five different buildings, but all rooms can easily be found off iGEM Alley. There will be maps and signs posted around each building, as well as the map provided to you, which will help direct you to the room you’re looking for.

Stata Center is “Home Base” for:

• Foundational Advance
• Environment
• Food & Energy
• Software Tools

Associated Rooms: 32-123, 54-100, 34-101

Lobby 13 is “Home Base” for:

• Health & Medicine
• Manufacturing
• New Application
• Information Processing

Associated Rooms: 10-250, 26-100, 34-101

Presentations

In each room, the presentations will be divided into four sessions with each session comprised of three separate presentations. Each of the three presentations given during a session will be of the same ‘track’. Please be sure to bring the necessary equipment for your presentation, such as your laptop, cables/adaptors, and power supply, as iGEM will not provide these. If you are attending the presentations, please stay for the whole session and only leave the room during the scheduled coffee breaks. The schedule of the presentations can be found in your registration packet and on the online schedule page.

We need your posters & presentations!

In an effort to capture all of the hard work that teams have put into their iGEM projects, we ask that each team give us a copy of your presentation and a copy of your poster.

To submit your files follow the instructions below.

• Save your presentation and poster as a pdf file.
• Ten minutes before the start of each session, there will be an iGEM staff member at the front of each presentation room.
• Bring your laptop with the files on it to the front and the iGEM staff member will transfer your presentation and poster to a USB key that they will have with them.

Please make sure to do this in the 10 minutes prior to the start of the session! (NOT prior to your presentation time)

Consult the schedule , online or in your registration packet, to see which session you are presenting in.

iGEM from Above

After the finalists have given their presentations on Monday, we will be taking the 2009 iGEM from Above picture! The picture will be taken at Killian Court, a short walk from Kresge Auditorium. In the unfortunate event of bad weather, the picture will be taken at Kresge. Make sure to wear your iGEM team t-shirt!

Medals

This year we are once again designating achievements for documentation of your project and contributions to the synthetic biology community. These achievements are signified by a bronze, silver, or gold medal seal, which each team member can adhere to their participatory certificate. These designations will be based on their performance in the online judging round (online judging occurs in the week directly before the Jamboree).

Check out the Judging Criteria page for the requirements for each medal level.

Team Leaders can pick up their team medals (one for each member on the official roster) on Monday afternoon after the awards ceremony in the lobby of Kresge Auditorium. It is intended that your medal seal be placed on your participation certificate (for each team member). Frames for participation certificates can also be picked up in the lobby after the awards ceremony.

Awards/Frames

Awards will be presented at the awards ceremony on Monday (November 2). Each team that wins an award will receive one trophy for the team as well as award certificates for each team member. These award certificates are separate from the participation certificates that all iGEM teams receive from their team box. Both the award certificates and the participation certificates look great when framed. Certificate frames will be provided by iGEM HQ and will be available in the lobby of Kresge Auditorium after the awards ceremony finishes. Boxes for the awards will also be provided at this time.

iGEM Wrap-up

After the award ceremony on Monday (November 2) we will be hosting a discussion session on iGEM 2009 and the future of iGEM with iGEM 2010 and beyond. We will not be providing lunch during this time, so you are free to eat out and return for the discussion which will begin approximately 1 hour after the end of the awards ceremony.

Lunch Suggestions At the Stratton Student Center (W20), a short walk from Kresge Auditorium, there are a number of eateries:

Cambridge Grill Anna's Taqueria, Cafe Spice (2nd Floor) Sepal (2nd Floor) Shinkansen Japan (2nd Floor) Subway (2nd Floor) and others…

Further away, but right by the Kendall/MIT train station, there are several food trucks serving a variety of foods on Carleton St.

For more detailed information, please see http://dining.mit.edu, which provides a food map, short descriptions, menus and operating hours.

Family and Friends

Family and friends are welcome to register for all iGEM Jamboree events. If non-iGEM team members (e.g. family, friends, guests) want to attend the presentation sessions, poster sessions, social on Sunday, and the awards ceremony, they have to officially register and get a badge (on-site registration is available and can be paid for with all major credit cards, US$425). Entrance to the awards ceremony is not guaranteed, and is dependent on the capacity of Kresge Auditorium.

Food

Food will be provided throughout the Jamboree. Badges must be (visibly) worn in order to have access to all food.

Teams have been randomly assigned to lunch locations in order to spread out the crowd and cut down on the time you have to wait on line. We ask that you please pick up your lunch in your assigned location, although you are free to eat it where you wish.

Note that your team boxes will contain color-coded lunch tickets that you will need to present in order to obtain your lunch. See the flyer in your registration folder for the menu and your lunch location.

Social Event: Sunday night

On Sunday night after the poster reception, we will be hosting an iGEM Jamboree social event at [http://www.jilliansboston.com/ Jillian’s of Boston] from 8:00pm to 12:00am. There will be food, dancing, billiards, bowling, lounge space on the 1st and 2nd floors of Jillian's. Each person will receive two drink tickets at the door for soft drinks/soda. For those who are 21 and over there will be a cash bar. The drinking age in the US is 21 so please keep this in mind. Bartenders will be checking IDs so please have your US ID or passport with you as identification. We have arranged to have shuttle buses to bring people from the MIT campus and the Hyatt to the event location at Jillian's in the Fenway area of Boston. See the map in your registration packet for shuttle stop locations.

Note: You must have your iGEM name badge in order to gain access to the social event.

Compton Lounge

Compton Lounge (Building 26) will house the pre-registration/check-in on Friday starting at 6:00pm. On-site registration will also be available and costs $225 for undergraduates and high school students, and $425 for everyone else.

The Information Center will be located at Compton Lounge as well; feel free to ask any questions you may have. We will also have iGEM Staff available for assistance at all of the event locations.

Lastly, if you want some great iGEM gear, you can also find the iGEM Store at Compton Lounge. We will be selling iGEM hoodies (sweatshirts) and patches.

iGEM Store

Come buy some iGEM products at the iGEM store! This year we will be selling iGEM hoodies (sweatshirts) for US$30 and iGEM iron-on patches for US$5. Wear your hoodies on those chilly days to keep you warm and stick your patch on your backpack, lab coat, jacket, or any other place you want to express your love for iGEM! And don't forget to buy some for your family and friends. The iGEM store will accept US dollars and all major credit cards.

Luggage

If you need to check out of your hotel on Monday morning and need to stow your luggage somewhere, you can bring it to Kresge Auditorium. However, we cannot guarantee that it will be locked or supervised during the awards ceremony. If you do bring your luggage to Kresge Auditorium it is absolutely critical that your luggage be picked up by 2:30 pm.

Transportation

The cities of Boston and Cambridge have a public transportation system that is comprised of buses and subways. You can find more information for the MBTA here: http://www.mbta.com. The Jamboree and its event locations are located by the MBTA Red Line at the Kendall/MIT subway stop. There are also several bus stops in the area.

The MIT shuttle has stops across the campus.

See [http://web.mit.edu/facilities/transportation/shuttles/index.html MIT's Shuttle website] for more information.

Contact Information

If you need to get in touch with anyone at iGEM headquarters (HQ) for an urgent matter, you may contact the following people:

• Randy Rettberg
• Meagan Lizarazo

Emergency Information

If there is an emergency (medical emergency, fire, police, etc.) please contact MIT campus emergencies numbers:

• From a campus phone: 100
• From a cell phone, pay phone, or off-campus: +1-617-253-1212

Avoid the Flu!

Influenza-related illness often peaks during the cold season in the New England area. It’s always important to take these simple precautions to protect yourself and others:

• Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and warm water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer
• Cover coughs and sneezes
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth
• Stay home if you are feeling sick

When should I seek medical attention?

You may need to see a care provider if you have the following serious flu symptoms:

• Fever higher than 101 degrees for two to three days
• Nausea or vomiting and an inability to keep fluids down
• Significant respiratory symptoms, including a big cough, wheezing, or shortness of breath
• Yellow or green discharge from the nose or produced with a cough
• Severe headache, especially with stiff neck; ear or facial pain, persistent sore throat; white spots on tonsils; and/or unusual rashes are not typically associated with influenza, but these symptoms may indicate other serious illnesses for which you should seek medical attention.

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Post-Jamboree

iGEM 2009 Results

iGEM 2009 results will be announced at the Jamboree awards ceremony on Monday November 2nd. Please check back for results then.

iGEM 2009 press & pictures

If you have any online articles about your team or iGEM that you would like to share, please post them on the Publicity page.

If you have pictures that you would like to share with us, post a link to them on the our Media page.

iGEM 2009: press kit

For the iGEM boilerplate, high-resolution logos, and more material for the press, please see the press kit page.

iGEM 2010

We will be posting information about iGEM 2010 soon after the Jamboree so make sure you check back if you are interested in participating!