About Bio-Link

Bio-Link is a National Advanced Technological Education (ATE) Center for Biotechnologythat originated in late 1998 with a grant from the National Science Foundation. The ATE program was created to improve and expand educational programs that prepare skilled technicians to work in the high-tech fields that drive the U.S. economy.

Bio-Link enhances and expands biotechnology education programs by providing cutting edge professional development for instructors, by improving curriculum, by making use of technologies and by creating a system that promotes the sharing of information. The Bio-Link National Center is at City College of San Francisco with office space at the University of California San Francisco. Regional Bio-Link Centers across the country are located in Seattle, WA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Austin, TX; Madison, WI; Graham, NC; and Portsmouth, NH.

The regional centers develop relations with local industry and educational institutions including community colleges, baccalaureate institutions, and high schools. In addition, each regional center spearheads a different element of the program. Bio-Link is supporting a cadre of well-trained instructors and is increasing the number and quality of biotechnology programs for students.

Bio-Link is bringing a wide range of underrepresented students to biotechnology who have the knowledge and skills essential to the field as well as the ability to continue with more advanced education in math, science and engineering.

At a press conference, on October 15th, 1998, at City College of San Francisco (CCSF), Chancellor Philip R. Day, Jr. stated, "Bio-Link represents a significant opportunity for community colleges to take a lead in technical training and retraining for the skilled biotechnology workforce of the twenty-first century."

Dr. Elaine Johnson, Director of the National Center and faculty member of CCSF remarked, "In making this award, NSF recognizes both the importance of creating a high performance technical workforce for a competitive global economy and the critical role community and technical colleges play in the education of technicians."

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