Issue-002 · · Sakina Saif, M.S. , Shreya Rajasekar, M.S. , Samantha Klasfeld, Ph.D. , Masoome Rezaei, M.S. · 6 min read
🍂 Fall Forward with T-Shirts, Elections, and Events
Thanks for joining us for issue two! We’re wrapping up October, looking ahead to November, and inviting you to help shape what’s next—from shirts to elections to events. 🌟
Here’s what’s inside this month:
- October Highlights
- Events Ahead
- T-Shirt Survey: Make It Yours
- Executive Committee Elections Are Coming!
- Web Committee Glow-up
- Inside our Organization Committees
- Meet the Executive Board
Events Recap
Boston Women In Bioinformatics Celebrated 10-Year Anniversary
On September 30th, 2025, BWIB celebrated its 10th anniversary!!! The program featured inspiring and distinguished keynote speakers, Lorena Pantano, Eleanor Howe, Geraldine Van Der Auwera and Grace Tiao! The community enjoyed listening to their stories, and networked with food, drinks, desserts and very cool BWIB souvenirs.
👉 Check out photos from the celebration
The State of Bioinformatics - Panel and Networking at ASHG
On October 16th, 2025, BWIB panel and networking event, in sponsorship from Sentieon, was packed with ASHG participants and BWIB members. Elizabeth Chun, Don Freed, and BWIB Co-Chair Yevgenia Khodor, delivered thoughtful insights and sparked engaging discussions on the State of Bioinformatics. Once again, our sincere gratitude to our generous event sponsor, Sentieon Inc., and especially to Don Freed and Brendan Gallagher for their support.
👉 Check out photos from the event
From Biotech to Business: An AMA with the Founders of Sprout Informatics
Over 80 attendees joined Boston-Area Women in Bioinformatics (BWIB), Sprout Informatics, and the Cambridge Biotech Club online for From Biotech to Business, an AMA with Sprout co-founders Liyang Diao and Michael Seiler. The event covered startup logistics, client acquisition, rate-setting, and the leap from employee to entrepreneur. A crowd-favorite question, “Do you foresee any issues with SO many LLCs ‘sprouting’ in this job market?” sparked laughter and insight, as participants explored what it takes to carve out a niche in biotech consulting. Special thanks to Sprout Informatics, Samantha Klasfeld and the BWIB Events Committee and our collaborators Jaeseok (Jay) Park, Ryan Yordanoff, and Stephan Matissek at and the Cambridge Biotech Club for helping organizing this thoughtful AMA.
Upcoming Events
Automating the “Second Job” of Job Searching with JustAJob
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Sick of tracking job apps in spreadsheets? Join BWIB for a live demo of JustAJobApp, an open-source tool that auto-builds your job dashboard from your inbox. Creator Lianna Novitz shares her story, shows how it compares to tools like Teal, and previews what’s next—including a crowdfunding campaign. Plus: Q&A, raffle, and real talk on job search burnout.
Byte and Bite: Bioinformatics Lunch Meetup
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Grab lunch and meet fellow bioinformaticians at our casual networking meetup at the CambridgeSide mall food court! Whether you’re deep in pipelines or just bioinformatics-curious, swing by to chat, connect, and swap stories over dumplings, salads, or whatever fuels your science. No agenda—just good food and great company.
GitHub Basics 2
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Ready to go beyond the basics? GitHub Basics 2 is a hands-on, beginner-friendly workshop focused on branching, pull requests, merge conflicts, and team communication. Perfect for anyone with commit and remote experience looking to level up their collaborative coding skills. Parking’s $10 at Boynton Yards after 5pm—bring your laptop and your questions!
T-Shirt Survey: Make It Yours
Boston Women in Bioinformatics is cooking up some wearable joy. YES, we’re preordering shirts! Represent being part of this amazing organization, as you share your bioinformatics brilliance at events, workshops, panels, zoom calls, or even on the go while dramatically catching the Red Line - this is your chance to do it in style!
We’re aiming for 30 responses so we can get a quote from the shirt wizards. So, the faster you respond to the google form below, the faster we can make this magic happen (no promises on delivery dates, but the vibes will be immaculate).
Want a shirt for just $24? Fill this google form ASAP.
Let’s make 2026 cozy, nerdy, and fabulous.
Executive Committee Elections Are Coming!
BWIB’s Executive Committee elections are just around the corner, and we’re excited to welcome new leadership! Nominations will be open primarily to those who’ve volunteered with BWIB in the past—so if you’ve helped out at events, contributed behind the scenes, or supported the community in any way, this is your moment. Stay tuned for details on roles, timelines, and how to nominate yourself or a fellow volunteer.
Web Committee Glow-Up ✨
Sound the bugle and refresh the cache! The Web Committee is leveling up.
We’ve welcomed three new web wizards, Anushka Dongaonkar, Vishwa Talati, and Siqin Li, bringing fresh energy, expanded brainpower, and more tabs than ever before. Our once-small band of digital dreamers is ready to conjure even more joyful, accessible, and slightly magical digital spaces for Boston Women in Bioinformatics.
Stay tuned for updates, improvements, and possibly a glittery surprise or two!
BWIB Organization
📣 Advocacy
The Advocacy committee advances equity and inclusion within the field of bioinformatics by identifying systemic challenges and promoting data-driven strategies.
👭🏻 Bioinformatics Sisters
This committee supports and organizes Bioinformatics Sisters, a networking and mentoring platform designed to match participants based on shared goals, skills, and preferences.
💬 Communications
The Communications committee is responsible for managing, coordinating, and improving the flow of information by means of communicating to its members, other committees, and external groups. It ensures the organization is visible via various channels and oversees policies related to collaborations and public relations.
📅 Events
The Events committee organizes and hosts professional and community-focused events from technical workshops to networking gatherings.
💙 Career Sponsorship
The Career Sponsorship committee empowers women in bioinformatics to grow into leadership roles through focused mentorship, career advocacy, and access to professional networks.
🌐 Web Page
The Web Page committee manages the organization’s website to share group information, curate community resources, and promote events.
Executive Board
Social Media
- Slack: boston-women-bioinfo
- Email: communications@boston-wib.org
- LinkedIn: Boston-area Women in Bioinformatics
- Lu.ma: Boston Women in Bioinformatics
- Location: Boston Area, Massachusetts