Our Statement

As OCIB Symposium organizers, our mission is to unite biology students and professors of Carleton University and University of Ottawa. Our main goal is to generate networking opportunities, create spaces for new collaborations, and celebrate the community’s recent advances in science. The event is publicly advertised and welcomes researchers from all institutions.

With support from both universities and sponsors, there is no fee for registration or participation to keep the symposium accessible to all. The dates (April 29-30, 2024) were also carefully chosen to allow more students and professors to attend as it does not fall in an intensive academic period. These are two of the many ways we are trying to foster equal opportunities for all to attend.

Both universities are strong believers and adhere to the principles of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). For details, please visit Carleton and uOttawa pages. These important principles were instrumental when considering who to invite as keynote speaker. We continue to plan the symposium with these core principles to cultivate an equitable environment. 

We are also aware of the climate crisis we are all faced with. From the color of the posters we are printing, to the selection of giveaways, we are keeping sustainability as a crucial part of our consideration in every step of the organization.

We would like to make a land acknowledgment of the Algonquin Anishinaabe People, whose unceded territory the University of Ottawa and Carleton University are situated. We work towards educating ourselves on the historical land dispossession, discrimination, and culture of the Algonquin Nation.