Young BM Network
Biovolutionary, the origin of Young BM Congress
The Biovolutionary conference was the brainchild of young biology students at the University of Liverpool. Encouraged by the cultural differences in European science education, they decided to create a common space where bioscience students could discuss, resolve doubts and share experiences about what it was like to study a science degree. It would also serve as a place where students could discuss their current and future projects to facilitate the exchange of information and networking across the continent.
Thus, the first edition of Biovolutionary took place in Liverpool in 1990, with 40 participants from 7 different countries. The idea appealed to the participants, especially the Swedish participants, who decided to bring it to Stockholm the following year. Thus, during the whole decade, the space took shape to become an annual congress where biology was discussed, contacts were made and a new city was discovered every year. The editions that followed Stockholm 1991 were Limerick 1992, Hamburg 1993, Sheffield 1994, Tampere 1995, Nijmegen 1996, Vienna 1997, Leuven 1998, Liverpool 1999 (to mark the 10th anniversary) and Tübingen 2000.
The 2001 edition was supposed to take place in Malta, but unfortunately it was not possible. The organisers did not give up and tried to postpone it to the following year, but finally it was cancelled and since no other participants from other countries could make it work for 2002, the congress was cancelled indefinitely.
Illustrated recreation of Biovolutionary's
mascot, Bivo the Bird.
Young BM, a new beginning
It was not until almost 15 years later that other young biology students from the University of Malta discovered the existence of Biovolutionary from one of the former organisers. They thought of organising the congress again under the same name and with the same premises at the beginning, but after a few twists and turns, they decided to adapt it to the year 2017, forming Young Biologists Matter Congress and formed an association that acted as organising body, Young BM Network.
So, since 2017, there have been 4 editions of this new congress, keeping the same spirit as before but with each edition adding new features and exchanging ideas with other similar congresses at European level.
