BEAM CIRCULAR COMMUNITY SYMPOSIUM
May 22, 2024 | UC Merced
Thank you so much for joining us for the BEAM Circular Community Symposium. Please visit our website to sign up for our newsletter if you're interested in attending future events.
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BEAM Circular is working with local communities, farmers, scientists, industry leaders, and educators to create a world-class Innovation Engine for the Circular Bioeconomy in California’s North San Joaquin Valley. Join us for a day of learning and discovery about a growing industry with the potential to strengthen our local economy, create quality jobs, advance climate solutions, and support a healthy environment for all.

The event will feature educational exhibits, guest speakers, and presentations that explore what the emerging circular bioeconomy means for our community. Attendees of all ages are invited to learn, make connections, and become part of shaping the future of our region.

8:30 - 9:00am Registration & Light Breakfast

9am - 12pm Speaking Program
Guest Speakers and Panel Discussions
Presentation of Innovation Engine Strategic Vision


12:00 - 1:00pm Lunch

12:30-4pm: Circular Bioeconomy Discovery Day & Youth Art Exhibition
Open house for community and partners to explore posters, table displays, a youth art exhibition, and hands-on demonstrations that introduce attendees to the Circular Bioeconomy. Programming will celebrate our local community’s vision for the future and showcase innovations that transform waste into useful products.

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BEAM Circular está colaborando con comunidades locales, agricultores, científicos, líderes de la industria y educadores para crear un Equipo de Innovación de primer nivel para la Bioeconomía Circular en el Valle del Norte de San Joaquín, en California. Te invitamos a un día de aprendizaje y descubrimiento sobre una industria en expansión con el potencial de fortalecer nuestra economía local, crear empleos de calidad, impulsar soluciones climáticas y apoyar un ambiente saludable para todos.

El evento incluirá exhibiciones educativas, conferencistas invitados y presentaciones que exploran lo que significa la emergente bioeconomía circular para nuestra comunidad. Asistentes de todas las edades están invitados a aprender, establecer conexiones y participar en el moldeamiento del futuro de nuestra región.

9 am - 12 pm: Programa de Ponencias
Conferencistas invitados y mesas de debate
Presentación de la Visión Estratégica del Motor de Innovación


12-4 pm: Descubrimiento de la Bioeconomía Circular
Jornada de puertas abiertas para la comunidad y socios para explorar pósteres, exhibiciones en mesas, una exposición de arte juvenil y demostraciones prácticas que introducen a los asistentes a la Bioeconomía Circular. La programación celebrará la visión de nuestra comunidad local para el futuro y destacará innovaciones que transforman desechos en productos útiles.

¿Te interesa participar en nuestra Exposición de Arte y Poesía K-12? ¡Visita nuestro sitio web para más detalles!
MAY 22
22 de Mayo
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

UC Merced
Conference Center

UC Merced Centro de Conferencias

5200 Lake Rd
Merced, CA
We encourage you to bring your reusable water bottle.

Te animamos a traer tu botella de agua reutilizable.

PARKING
Parking is in Bellevue Lot in the green zone. You can pay for parking at the pay stations, with the Flowbird app, or by texting "PARKBELL" to 727563. If you would like to request parking or transportation reimbursement, please notify event staff at sign-in.

ESTACIONAMIENTO
El estacionamiento está en el Lote Bellevue en la zona verde. Puede pagar por el estacionamiento en las estaciones de pago, con la aplicación Flowbird, o enviando un mensaje de texto con "PARKBELL" al 727563. Si desea solicitar el reembolso del estacionamiento o del transporte, por favor notifique al personal del evento al registrarse.
SPEAKERS
Visit the link here to read each speaker's biography.
Dr. Blake Simmons
DIVISION DIRECTOR, BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS AND ENGINEERING
BERKELEY LAB
Julia Levin
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
BIOENERGY
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA
Erick Serrato
DIRECTOR OF WORKFORCE INVESTMENT
MERCED COUNTY
Dr. Lisa Dyson
CEO
AIR PROTEIN
Karen Warner
CEO
BEAM CIRCULAR
​​​​ Amanda Putnam
NATIVE AMERICAN/ INDIGENOUS RECRUITMENT AND OUTREACH SPECIALIST
UC MERCED
Dr. Gillian Wilson
Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Economic Development
UC Merced
Dr. Matt Hotze
DIRECTOR OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
the good food institute
Tiziano Celli
agronomist
nitricity
Christine Gemperle
farmer
gemperle orchards
Pedro Mendez
Dean and Acting Associate Vice President
San Joaquin Delta  College
 Dr. Laura Maki
dean of science, mathematics, and engineering
modesto junior college
Dr. Virginia Montero-Hernandez
Professor and EdD Director, Advanced Studies in Education 
csu stanislaus
Cody Dowdell
student and biomass researcher
modesto junior college
Dr. Gerardo Diaz
professor
UC Merced
Jim Dekloe
director and founder of the Industrial Biotechnology program
solano college
Nancy Martinez
founder
debrief methods
 Elizabeth Betancourt
Natural and Working Lands Policy Advisor 
california department of conservation
Joe Shea
Deputy Cabinet Secretary
Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom 
Elena Chávez Quezada
SENIOR ADVISOR FOR SOCIAL INNOVATION
Governor's Office
Supervisor Mani Grewal
chair of the board
Stanislaus county
Paul Maglio
Professor - Ernest and Julio Gallo Management Program
Department of Management of Complex Systems

uc merced
Eric Neuenfeldt
director of workforce solutions 
beam circular
 Matthew Godinez
director of community engagement 
beam circular
Detailed Agenda

Sign-in and Light Breakfast

8:30-9:00 AM

Welcome & Introduction to the Innovation Engine

9:00 AM

Matthew Godinez, Director of Community Engagement, BEAM Circular
Amanda Putnam, Native American/Indigenous Recruitment and Outreach Specialist, UC Merced
CA State Senator Marie Alvarado-Gil (video message)
Dr. Gillian Wilson, Vice Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Economic Development
Karen Warner, Founder/CEO, BEAM Circular
Nancy Martinez, Co-Founder, Debrief
Dr. Paul Maglio, Professor, UC Merced

Community Keynote: Who is the North San Joaquin Valley?

9:30 AM

Erick Serrato, Convener, North Valley THRIVE and Executive Director, Merced County Workforce Development


Innovation Keynote: What is the circular bioeconomy, and why does it matter?

9:45 AM

Dr. Blake Simmons, Division Director, Biological Systems & Engineering, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory; Chief Scientific & Technology Officer at US Department of Energy’s Joint BioEnergy Institute 

Introduction by Gloriamar Gamez, Chief Program Officer, BEAM Circular

Perspectives & Stories from the Field: Circular Bioeconomy Panel

10:00 AM

Julia Levin, Executive Director, Bioenergy Association of California
Dr. Matt Hotze, Director of Science & Technology, Good Food Institute 
Dr. Lisa Dyson, Founder and CEO, Air Protein 
Tiziano Celli, Agronomist, Nitricity
Christine Gemperle, Farmer, Gemperle Orchards
Dr. Gerardo Diaz, Professor, UC Merced

Break

10:45 AM

Education Keynote: How can we expand access to careers in the bioeconomy?

11:00 AM

Dr. Jim DeKloe, Distinguished Professor & Founder of Industrial Biotechnology Program, Solano College
Introduction by Prof. Paul Maglio, UC Merced

Building a Diverse & Inclusive Talent Pipeline: Regional Education & Workforce Development Panel

11:15 AM

Eric Neuenfeldt, Director of Workforce Solutions, BEAM Circular (Moderator)
Pedro Méndez, Acting Associate Vice President, Career Technical Education (CTE) and Workforce Development, San Joaquin Delta College
Dr. Laura Maki, Dean of Science, Engineering & Mathematics, Modesto Junior College
Dr. Virginia Montero Hernandez, Director of Doctoral Program in Educ. Leadership, CSU Stanislaus
Unk (Cody) Dowdell, Modesto Junior College Student in Engineering; Biomass Research Fellow

Regional & State Collaboration

11:40 AM

Supervisor Mani Grewal, Stanislaus County
Elizabeth Betancourt, Natural and Working Lands Policy Advisor, California Department of Conservation
Joe Shea, Deputy Cabinet Secretary, Office of California Governor Gavin Newsom
Elena Chávez Quezada, Senior Advisor for Social Innovation, Office of the Governor
Karen Warner, CEO, BEAM Circular (Moderator)

Closing Remarks

11:55 AM

Lunch

12:00 PM

Discovery Day 
Educational tabling, demonstrations, and Youth Art Exhibition

12:30-4:00 PM


UC Merced
MAY 22, 2024
CONFERENCE CENTER

22 DE MAYO, 2024
CENTRO DE CONFERENCIAS
Upon arrival, look out for way-finding signs.
Al llegar, busca las señales de orientación.
We are excited to be holding our Community Symposium at the beautiful UC Merced campus.

UC Merced opened to undergraduates in 2005 as the newest campus in the University of California system, and is the youngest university to earn a Carnegie research classification. A top-100 research university and the fastest-growing public university in the nation, UC Merced is on the cutting edge of sustainability in campus construction and design, and supports high achieving and dedicated students from the underserved Central Valley and throughout California. The campus is the first public research university certified as carbon-neutral, and every campus building is LEED certified. The Sierra Club named UC Merced the no. 7 “Cool School” in the nation, and the AASHE Sustainable Campus Index in 2022 ranked the university no. 1 in the United States for sustainable buildings and sustainable research.

Event map below.

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Estamos emocionados de realizar nuestro Simposio Comunitario en el hermoso campus de UC Merced.

UC Merced abrió sus puertas a estudiantes de pregrado en 2005 como el campus más nuevo del sistema de la Universidad de California y es la universidad más joven en obtener una clasificación de investigación de Carnegie. Siendo una universidad entre las top 100 en investigación y la universidad pública de crecimiento más rápido en la nación, UC Merced está a la vanguardia de la sostenibilidad en la construcción y diseño de campus, y apoya a estudiantes altamente capaces y dedicados de la desatendida región del Valle Central y de todo California. El campus es la primera universidad pública de investigación certificada como carbono neutral, y cada edificio del campus cuenta con certificación LEED. El Club Sierra nombró a UC Merced como la séptima universidad más "Cool" en la nación, y el Índice de Campus Sostenible de AASHE en 2022 clasificó a la universidad como la número 1 en Estados Unidos en edificios sostenibles e investigación sostenible.

Mapa del evento a continuación.
PARKING
Parking is in Bellevue Lot in the green zone. You can pay for parking at the pay stations, with the Flowbird app, or by texting "PARKBELL" to 727563. If you would like to request parking or transportation reimbursement, please notify event staff at sign-in.

ESTACIONAMIENTO
El estacionamiento está en el Lote Bellevue en la zona verde. Puede pagar por el estacionamiento en las estaciones de pago, con la aplicación Flowbird, o enviando un mensaje de texto con "PARKBELL" al 727563. Si desea solicitar el reembolso del estacionamiento o del transporte, por favor notifique al personal del evento al registrarse.


Travel Accommodations / Alojamiento
If you need travel accommodations, please reach out to [email protected].
Si necesita alojamiento para su viaje, por favor comuníquese con [email protected]
BEAM Circular Community Symposium
BACKGROUND

BEAM Circular is a new hub for the circular bioeconomy in California’s agricultural heartland that is working with industry and local communities to advance economic prosperity and environmental solutions.

CBIO Collaborative is a coalition of partners co-led by BEAM Circular, UC Merced, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The Collaborative received a $1 million NSF Engines Development Award in 2023 to advance circular bioeconomy technologies in the North San Joaquin Valley. As a result, the Collaborative has embarked on a strategic planning “sprint” to develop a transformative regional innovation engine for the circular bioeconomy in the North San Joaquin Valley. This planning exercise will shape the direction of the region’s ecosystem and culminate in a $160 million NSF Regional Innovation Engine proposal to be submitted in 2024.

The May 22nd Community Symposium will present the strategic vision for the Innovation Engine developed by over 100 CBIO collaborators over the past year.

Questions? Please reach out to [email protected].

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ANTECEDENTES

BEAM Circular es un nuevo centro para la bioeconomía circular en el corazón agrícola de California que está trabajando con la industria y las comunidades locales para avanzar en la prosperidad económica y las soluciones ambientales.

El Colaborativo CBIO es una coalición de socios co-liderada por BEAM Circular, UC Merced y el Laboratorio Nacional Lawrence Berkeley. En 2023, el Colaborativo recibió un Premio de Desarrollo de Motores NSF de $1 millón para avanzar en las tecnologías de bioeconomía circular en el Valle del Norte de San Joaquín. Como resultado, el Colaborativo ha emprendido una "carrera" de planificación estratégica para desarrollar un motor de innovación regional transformador para la bioeconomía circular en el Valle del Norte de San Joaquín. Este ejercicio de planificación dará forma a la dirección del ecosistema de la región y culminará en una propuesta de Motor de Innovación Regional NSF de $160 millones que se presentará en 2024.

El Simposio Comunitario del 22 de mayo presentará la visión estratégica para el Motor de Innovación desarrollada por más de 100 colaboradores de CBIO durante el último año.

¿Preguntas? Por favor, comunícate con: [email protected].

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