Guest speech: Senior Vice President of the North Caroline Biotechnology Center, H.E. Steven Burke

In cooperation with the US Embassy in Vienna and the IMC EXPORT Chair for IL & GPS, the IMC Biotechnology study program has hosted a prominent US speaker W. Steven BURKE, Senior Vice President of the North Caroline Biotechnology Center for a guest-lecture. Mr. Burke paid the visit to the IMC and delivered a lecture "The Societal Consequences of Adopting or Not Adopting Biotechnology” on 03rd December, followed by one and half hour talks with students.

The IMC fellow professors and students had the opportunity to get a comprehensive US insider-look on the burning and challenging biotech issues such as: Loss of scientific and research capability; Potential economic disadvantages and diminished competitiveness; Diminished experience and capability in evaluating and addressing the issues of a technology and of knowing how to evaluate its safety and effectiveness; Diminished capability in charting translational policies; isolation seldom enables informed casemaking or influence. Might not Austria actually benefit from shaping, rather than disavowing, certain application areas; as well as the Diminished capability to develop and apply -- and thus also effect -- emerging areas of biotechnology development and application, including nanotechnology, industrial (white) biotechnology, and medical/agricultural convergence through value-added crops.

The lecture was followed by tour-de-house through the BTZ facility and laboratories, hosted by Dr. Wolfgang Schütt Director of Biotechnology Studies.

Extraordinarily eloquent expert and lecturer of impressive international career, Senior Vice President Burke is currently responsible for the US activities centering on governmental, policy, regulatory, ethical, societal and intergovernmental issues. He has been an active participant in the national and international BIOTECH communities since the mid-1980s, and as such has served in several capacities for the Biotechnology Industry Organization, including a two-term stint as chair of the Council of Biotechnology Centers, and other related high-ranking posts.

Summing up at the end of this content-intensive and extremely valuable event, Senior Vice President Burke stated that he was impressed by interest, commitment and knowledge of our Biotechnology students as demonstrated throughout the questions and discussion with him, as well as by the BTZ facility and Biotech faculty members, finally promising to return to our University for lecturing in a due time again.

Representative of the US Embassy Ms. Roswitha Haller, who accompanied Mr. Burke was also impressed by well organized event (which attracted not only students and professors from Biotechnology but from other IMC departments too), as she stated willingness to continue the cooperation with IMC.

Text: Mr. Bajrektarevic