BIO Conference Focuses on Diversity

The Biotechnology Industry Organization, or BIO, is holding it's annual conference at the Georgia World Congress Center. And much of Monday mornings focus was on creating diversity in the bio workplace, and also, using bio sciences to help close heath gaps among different ethnic groups. About two hundred people came to the
meeting to see Georgia Senator Johnny Isakson and Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, among other speakers.

Lisa Gibson attended the workshop, she's the President of the Hawaii Technology and Science Council, and she says the lack of diversity means an absence of viewpoints as new medicines and other bio-applications are made.

"We need all people. It's a crisis for the country, and people need to be paying attention."

The national Science Foundation estimates only eight percent of science and engineering degrees are earned by Blacks and Latinos. And only 28 percent of these science graduates are women, according to that same study.