New opportunities to contribute to the i5k community

The i5k coordinating committee is looking for new members! We have several new roles to fill that provide outreach and leadership opportunities for the i5k community (meaning – you!).

Volunteering with the i5k community has the following benefits:

• Learn from and network with an active and engaging community of scientists;
• Certificates of membership and fulfillment of a special role;
• Co-authorship on publications;
• CV-building activities for many career stages, including undergraduates;
• Get involved with larger partner initiatives such as the Earth BioGenome Project or European Reference Genome Atlas.

If you are interested:

• read on to learn about the roles we are offering;
• reach out to i5k@ars.usda.gov.

Roles

1. Training working group
2. Outreach and Community Building working group
3. Genome Project Coordination working group
4. Executive Committee

Training working group

• Video Editor. We are seeking an individual to join the training working group, edit training videos and load them to our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/c/i5k_community). You will have some experience editing videos, or be willing to learn how to do so. An ideal candidate for this role would be an undergraduate student. We estimate this role will only take a few hours per year.
• Open Educational Coordinator. In this role, you will work with the Higher Education Chair to create and curate an online resource with recommended bioinformatics software and training resources, highlighting approaches particularly suitable for arthropod genomes where appropriate. You will work with the Higher Education Chair to determine skill gaps. You will work with the website designer to add this resource to the i5k website (https://i5k.github.io) and update it. An ideal candidate for this role would be a graduate student or postdoctoral researcher. We estimate this role will take 5-10 hours per month initially, with only a few hours annually after this to maintain the resource.
• Higher Education Chair. You will determine which insect genomics skills are needed for careers and jobs in entomology, and work with the Open Educational Coordinator and others to find curricula that train students in those skills, establishing whether content gaps are present or different training modalities are needed. Once you have established and documented your findings, you will champion them within the i5k community. You will be a resource for others teaching insect genomics, connecting them with findings and materials. An ideal candidate for this role would be a faculty member with strong insect genomics teaching experience. We estimate this role will take 5-10 hours per month initially, with only a few hours annually after this to update and champion the resource.

Outreach and Community Building working group

• Website designer. You will use your creativity and web design skills to organize and style the i5k website (https://i5k.github.io), and create new content in collaboration with other i5k members. Here, we’re looking for a person with existing web design skills or a willingness to learn. Our website uses GitHub pages (https://pages.github.com). We estimate this role will take 5-10 hours per month initially, with only a few hours annually after this to maintain the resource.
• Media director. You will engage with the i5k working groups, the Earth BioGenome Project social media director, and the Newsletter editor to create social media or other posts on i5k activities. You will have some experience with social media and use those skills to help us engage with the broader scientific community. We estimate this role will take 1-2 hours per month.
• Newsletter editor. You will create and distribute a periodic newsletter (e.g. quarterly) via email and social media. The newsletter will update the arthropod genomics community on the i5k initiative’s activities - e.g. new arthropod genomes, a cameo writeup, upcoming events, and notable working group progress. You will coordinate newsletter content with the Media director. The ideal candidate would be a graduate student or postdoctoral researcher with good communication skills. We estimate this role will take 1-2 hours per month.
• Webmaster. You will make sure our website remains up to date with the latest security updates and work with the Website designer and other i5k members to set up new website content. Ideally, you’ll have a basic understanding of git and be willing to learn about software updates from an experienced IT professional. We estimate this role will take 1-2 hours per month.
• Arthropod Genomics Consortium coordinator. You will chair a new i5k working group to develop a framework for future Arthropod Genomics Symposia and replace the Arthropod Genomics Consortium, which managed these symposia previously. This working group will identify the best strategy to sustain future Arthropod Genomics Symposia, and will implement the strategy. The ideal candidate will have had previous experience organizing smaller conferences of 100-200 attendees. This role will be initially time-consuming, but will be rotated among members after 2 years, as the strategy is adopted and refined.

Genome Project Coordination working group

• Working group chair. You will lead this important working group that interfaces with the Earth BioGenome Project’s GoaT software (https://goat.genomehubs.org) and engages the larger i5k community to communicate on and coordinate genome sequencing projects. We are looking for a colleague who cares about FAIR data (https://www.go-fair.org/fair-principles/) and efficient genome sequencing to benefit the i5k community globally. Ideally, you will have experience submitting genomes to an INSDC (https://www.insdc.org) repository and understand the data and metadata needed for genome submission. We estimate this role will take 5-10 hours per month initially, with only a few hours annually after this to maintain the resource.
• Genome coordination tester. You will provide important feedback to the Genome Project Coordination working group that will allow yourself and other members of the i5k community to contribute genome information to GoaT (https://goat.genomehubs.org). Ideally, you will have experience submitting genome data and metadata to an INSDC repository. We estimate this role will take 1-2 hours per month, and is limited to only a few months total.
• Genome project coordination communications chair. You will develop and implement a communications strategy to help i5k improve compliance with the Earth BioGenome Project’s reporting needs. We are looking for a colleague who cares about FAIR data (https://www.go-fair.org/fair-principles/) and efficient genome sequencing to benefit the i5k community globally. Ideally, you will have experience submitting genomes to an INSDC (https://www.insdc.org) repository and understand the data and metadata needed for genome submission. We estimate this role will take 2-5 hours per month initially, with only a few hours annually after this to maintain communications.

Executive Committee

• Recording/executive secretary. You are responsible for organizing and maintaining the executive committee’s communications. Specifically, you will maintain the minutes for the executive committee and community meetings, and distribute the community meeting agenda to our mailing list. You will have the opportunity to be an active member of the executive committee. You will also work with the Website designer to upload the minutes to the i5k website. We estimate this role will take 1-2 hours per month.
• Membership coordinator/director. You will maintain the i5k membership list and update it annually. You will have the opportunity to be an active member of the executive committee. You will also play an active role in recruiting new members and recruiting ‘cameo’ speakers for the monthly community meetings, in collaboration with the outreach working group. We estimate this role will take 1-2 hours per month.
• Awards coordinator. You will develop and maintain an awards process for i5k participants. This will be a rewarding role for an individual wanting to recognize our community’s volunteer efforts. You will have the opportunity to be an active member of the executive committee. We estimate this role will take 1-2 hours per month to set up the awards process, with only a few hours annually after this to maintain the process.