Successful completion of the certificate requires the completion of 16 hours of volunteering at science-related outreach or public engagement events, as well as two outreach, communications, engagement, or DEI-related training sessions. For the 2024-2025 academic year, volunteering at IGB’s World of Genomics event at the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry will satisfy the experiential requirement, and volunteers who attend the practice session for this event will satisfy the training requirement as well.

Do I need to be a member of IGB to participate in the certificate program?

No, any university member in one of the roles mentioned above may participate.

How can I be sure if a volunteer opportunity or event meets the experiential requirements?

Any event that is not a requirement of a paid position and shares science-related content with members of the public is likely to qualify. To ensure that the experience will be counted, you may share details with us in advance at outreach@igb.illinois.edu. To receive notices of outreach opportunities through IGB, complete this form: https://www.igb.illinois.edu/acquainted/outreach-volunteer. 

How can I be sure if a class, workshop or other event meets the training requirements?

A broad range of training formats and topics related to science and person to person interactions will be considered. To ensure that a training opportunity will be counted, please share details with us in advance at outreach@igb.illinois.edu.

What if I cannot complete the training requirements within a year?

Please contact us at outreach@igb.illinois.edu to share your circumstances and we will consider what accommodations can be made.