BWIB: New Year, New Connections Social
Who Should Attend:
This event is open to the bioinformatics community, with a focus on supporting women and gender-diverse individuals. Allies at any career stage are also welcome. If you work in computational biology, genomics, data science, or adjacent fields in the Boston area, this is your community.
What to Expect:
Relaxed networking for Boston's bioinformatics community. No presentations—just conversations with people who get what "debugging a Nextflow pipeline" means. Focused on supporting women and gender-diverse individuals; allies welcome (see guidelines below). Anniversary swag available. Food court location = dinner optional. Come anytime, stay until 9pm.
Guidelines for Allies
We welcome allies to join us in supporting women in bioinformatics! Your presence helps build a more inclusive community. Most of this is probably obvious to you, but it's easy to fall into old habits in professional settings, so here's a friendly reminder of how to be most supportive:
How to be an ally:
This is primarily a space for women to connect, share experiences, and support each other. As an ally, focus on listening and learning rather than being the center of attention. Contribute thoughtfully to conversations, but leave plenty of space for women's voices - aim to listen more than you speak.
How to contribute positively:
Invite women colleagues who would benefit from this community - arriving together can make it easier for newcomers to join in, and you'll help us grow the network
Ask thoughtful questions rather than offering unsolicited advice or explanations
If someone shares their expertise or experience, trust it - avoid the urge to explain or debate
When women share experiences of bias or challenges, listen and validate rather than offering alternative explanations
Help make introductions between people with shared professional interests
If you notice someone standing alone or between conversations, invite them to join yours: "We're talking about [topic], would you like to join us?"
What to avoid:
Interrupting women who are speaking
Taking up speaking opportunities or networking slots meant for women attendees
Lengthy monologues or centering your own perspectives in discussions about gender equity
Calling photographers!
Interested in taking professional headshots at our event? We're open to various arrangements - volunteer opportunity for portfolio building, partial compensation, or paid services. Contact the event organizers or reach out to us at [email protected] and let's find something that works for both of us.