BMUN LXXI IBC

Hi everyone! With conference coming up soon, I thought I'd give you all some public speaking tips and content suggestions for your speeches. Public speaking: Projection! Speaking clearly and with volume helps drive your point home. Eye contact - look at your chairs and fellow delegates to connect with your audience. Good posture - standing up straight. Pacing - slow and clear enough that people can understand you. Content: Collaboration - we love to see this even in mods, which can be accomplished by referencing other delegation's speeches. Specific evidence and statistics show that you did your research and add weight to your arguments. Solutions that address the topic practically are important. Diplomatic attitude towards other countries is exactly what we want to see. Can't wait to see everyone in conference, and good luck! Best, Zoe IBC, BMUN 71

Hey delegates! As we count down the final few days before BMUN 71 this weekend, I wanted to check in to remind you of some important dates, announcements, and opportunities we have for you. Debate As we near the start of BMUN 71, I wanted to refer you to our Conference Policies page. Here you will find all of our policies on awards, plaigarism, pre-written resolutions, electronic use, dress code, and harassment . Please take the time to read through this page as the maintenance of these policies are critical to ensuring a positive BMUN experience for all– and be sure to email us any questions you may have. Office Hours Office hours! Incase all the blog posts and emails have been daunting, we hope you will sign up for office hours to chat with us for a bit! Office hours are a great opportunity to ask us any questions or receive feedback on your position papers! The link to sign up for office hours can be found here ( https://www.wejoinin.com/sheets/qkhiy )! We are so excited for BMUN 7...

Hey delegates!  In regards to our second topic, I was reading a little bit more about other case studies related to biohacking, when I came across this article I think you would find interesting:  https://www.wired.com/story/health-business-deprivation-technology/ . This article dives deeper into the seemingly apparent correlation between biohackers and tech CEOs, and critically examines what it calls the "shaman-ification" of these high value individuals. Feel free to give it a quick read, and I’ll also summarize its main points below: Background: The article talks about the self-shamanification of tech CEOs in Silicon Valley who take to extreme self-denial fads like intermittent fasting and dopamine fasting that are often touted as "biohacking" innovations. The article provides examples of tech executives such as Steve Jobs and Jack Dorsey who have gone on extreme diets, as well as the example of Elizabeth Holmes, the former CEO of Theranos, who famously subsisted...

  Hey delegates!  We wanted to highlight some of the key terms and takeaways for topic A, to make researching a little bit easier and help you familiarize yourself with the topic. Topic A is about regulation of genome editing and CRISPR. Overall, there are some keywords that all delegates should be familiar with before attending conference.  Key Terms: CRISPR - A gene-editing tool that allows precise and efficient modifications of DNA using a guide RNA and the protein Cas9. It has numerous potential applications in medicine, agriculture, and biotechnology. Germline editing - Modifying the DNA of reproductive cells (eggs or sperm) to  make changes that continue on with each generation. Accessibility - The ease of use and availability of the technology to researchers and the general public, especially in terms of price. Drawing the line - Determining what genetic alterations we should make and which we should leave out of our control. Takeaways: CRISPR is a powerful to...

  Hi Delegates! I wanted to check in with you to provide some more insight to how our committee is going to work at BMUN 71. IBC will be using Standard BMUN Procedure.  Our committee will begin by opening a running Speaker’s List (standard speaking time is 1 minute, 30 seconds) and those speeches will be followed by 2 30-second comments by other delegates. This is the default timing for the Speaker’s List and can be amended if agreed upon by the committee. The Speaker’s List can also be interrupted by Moderated Caucuses and Informal Caucuses that give delegates the opportunity to exchange opinions on policy, solutions, and more specific aspects of the topics at hand. In our committee, our dais plans on leaving the flow of committee up to you delegates, so we suggest you come prepared with specific subtopics and policies you hope to discuss! During Informal Caucus time, delegates are expected to draft and write Resolutions which will then be presented to the committee during a...

  Hi delegates! Just wanted to check in and offer a bit more guidance on your position papers. As a reminder, IBC will be using standard Position Paper format detailed in the BMUN Committees page on the BMUN website . Besides the general format, we wanted to offer some tips on the research process and the formation of your paper.  Research The biggest favor you can do for yourself in the writing process is to really apply time and effort into understanding the topics beforehand. Luckily, your generous dias has written to key to beginning this process: your synopsis! Not only do we recommend reading this synopsis, but we hope that you will interact with it. Ask questions, make connections, reflect on what you learned. Familiarizing yourself with the synopsis is the key to a smooth research experience.  After reading the synopsis, don’t stop there! This piece is just a stepping stone for the research we hope you will complete. Maybe read some additional case studies, loo...

Hey delegates!  I was reading a little bit more about our first topic, genome editing and CRIPSR, when I came across this article I think you would find interesting:  https://www.wired.com/story/the-crispr-baby-scientist-is-back-heres-what-hes-doing-next/ . It builds off one of our case studies, He Jiankui, and what the scientist is up to having been released from prison in China. Feel free to give it a quick read, and I’ll also summarize its main points below: Background: In November 2018, Chinese scientist He Jiankui announced that he used CRISPR to edit the genetic makeup of human embryos, resulting in the birth of the world's first gene-edited babies. He's actions faced swift backlash and condemnation from the scientific community as unethical, and he was found guilty of illegal medical practices by a Chinese court in December 2019 and sentenced to three years in prison. Updates: He has since been released from prison and has started a new lab in Beijing, where he plans to...

  Hi delegates! BMUN is just around the corner, so I wanted to revisit the pinnacle document of committee: your resolutions! Before we even get into the details of your resolutions, the format and jargon about resolutions can be quite confusing (boooo), but not to worry! BMUN has a Resolution Structure document, linked here , that covers all the teeny tiny details of these papers.  When turning your solutions into operative format, we want you to keep the SMART goals in mind: S - Specific , what exactly is this operative trying to achieve? M - Measurable , how will you know when this operative is successful? Are there any specific points that will make this solution more quantifiable? A - Attainable , is this solution genuinely possible? Is that clear in your operative? R - Relevant , will this operative positively contribute to solving this problem? T - Timely , when do you expect to achieve this solution by? Are these time-constraints reasonable? When in doubt, refer back to...