We started the meeting with introductions and a basic overview of the meeting structure. Followed by a note on the value of writing summaries after the meeting.
Next there was an update on the Big Blue Button video hosting platform as an alternative to zoom. It has better security features and corporate practices and is open source. In order to use it for meetings a server is needed and so the possibility of acquiring one is being looked into.
Reading groups and social events were discussed next. Two more reading groups of the Dialectical Biologist are anticipated and the possibility of having one of the authors speak at a meeting was considered. Another reading group is being started on Thea Riofrancos’ Resource Radicals starting on January 31st with meetings every 2 weeks from 7:30-8:30 (sign up here). Social events have been relatively successful in the past and the possibility of a future social hour where people are able to give a brief share out of their current research/work was discussed.
SFTP Boston is now signed up to be able to participate in Boston Public Schools (BPS) and several members discussed interest in leading/teaching a session and also helping to translate sessions. Reach out to Ben if interested in this work.
Past Free the Vaccine work was discussed along with the current situation with Oxford Labs and AstraZeneca being given exclusive vaccine manufacturing rights after the Gates foundation convinced them not to keep the research public/non-exclusive.
Lastly, the scientist activist training event and BioPharma worker organizing were mentioned as good projects to work on in the new year to create influence inside corporations that employ lots of scientists. We finished the meeting with a summary of accomplishments and key events from 2020.