i5K Coordinating Group

Conference Call Agenda

Feb 17, 2020

11:00-12:00 (ET)

As the last meeting of the year, we will discuss moving forward next year, following on the success of sequencing projects and technology development, and some very successful virtual conferences. We will also get an update on DToL, which is releasing its first bolus of genomes and has formalized its project database (GOAT)

Attending: Glenn Hanes, Monica Poelchau, Brian Scheffler, Meg Allen, Kevin Hackett, Rob Waterhouse, Surya Saha, Brad Coates, Mark Blaxter, Anna Childers, Kristen Panfilio, Stephen Richards

  • Current Meetings
    • PAG-substitution Virtual Arthropod Genomics Workshop (Brenda, Lindsey, Brad)
    • 114 live attendees at last week's AGSX meeting chaired by Brenda Oppert. 153 views on youtube so far.
    • Schedule: http://i5k.github.io/agsx2021 (4 sessions, next sorted, last 2 still to confirm speakers, but Brad has it under control)
    • Created new #agsxspring2021 channel on Arthropod Genomics slack workspace. Brenda posted a summary
    • Rob invited ~200 people to slack. New registrations have increased the membership to ~1500
  • Future Publications
  • Project – Updates
    • EBP (fringy, Gene, Kevin)
      • discussion in ELSI group on how to address the Nagoya protocol (US never signed on…)
      • Next annual meeting - 28 Sep -1 Oct 2021
        • Same pattern as last year
        • Hand over more control of the sessions to individual groups
        • improve diversity and inclusion in terms of time zones
        • Committee exists, volunteers welcome, new members welcome since diversification is wanted. There's a motion for chairs to cycle out over the years. Get in touch with Mark if you're interested!
        • Fundraising is going on right now
        • Looking for 'entertainment' session suggestions - in particular those engaged with biodiversity
        • Opinions on distribution and duration of sessions are welcome
        • ACTION ITEM: i5k should figure out by next month whether we want to organize a session and who could potentially chair it. 2-3 50 minute sessions? Community event? Think about other related meetings: AGS-X, arthropod genomics symposium… overlap? Could have an AGS satellite meeting instead of the regular June AGS meeting. needs discussion - last year's planning committee will get together to think about this on organising committee channel no slack.
        • Looking for keynote suggestions - would like proposals. Similar general topics to last year. Agro-ecology, Biodiversity (EO Wilson?), conservation. Eric Lander?
      • If you give any talks related to EBP, Harris would like links to share on outreach page
    • DToL: GOAT project database (Mark, Mara)
      • new format for submitting priority organisms (currently sequencing or intending to sequence). Should link to semi-permanent record (outside of GOAT?). Mark will send out link to leads of larger EBP groups
    • Ag100Pest, include Desert Locust (Anna)
      • Really amazing desert locust genome nearing completion!
      • Adding mormon cricket soon
      • More locust genomes coming from NSF center
      • Ag100Pest - finalizing best practices to release clean assemblies
  • Looking Back Lessons Learned 🡪 Looking Ahead Plans for 2021
    • Workshops
    • Sequencing
    • Increasing Alignment with EBP (Gene)
    • Expanding the Membership on the i5K Steering Committee (Rob)
    • New Funding Ideas
      • NSF infrastructure grants - mid- and small-scale. Should get in touch with relevant NSF program officer(s). Small - up to 20 million, mid - up to 70 million
      • National sequencing strategy
      • Climate change themes are now back in
      • European efforts are paying off: Norway and Sweden have launched genome projects, and ERGA (website coming soon) is gearing up with cross-Europe coordination (Chair elected is Camila Mazzoni from Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research

NEXT MEETING: March 17, 2020

11:00-12:00 am ET