Requirements/Team Roles

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Team members have different roles and responsibilities on a team.

Student role and requirements

Student team members brainstorm project ideas, choose a project idea, and build and test their chosen biological system. Students are also responsible for documenting their work (please see Deliverables).

  • Every student team member must do the following by the Roster Deadline:
    • have an iGEM user account
    • enter their age information
    • join the online team roster
  • Undergraduate and overgraduate teams have age restrictions for the student team members. ?


Principal investigator (PI) role and requirements

Principal investigators (PIs) provide guidance and support throughout the season. This includes assistance with funding, lab support, and help with school bureaucracy and regulations. PIs should also plan on accompanying the team to the Giant Jamboree in October. The team PIs also serve as the official points of contact for iGEM Headquarters; both PIs must be able to receive emails / phone calls from iGEM HQ, and respond promptly. Each team must have at least two PIs (primary and secondary) who are responsible for the official team registration (see Registration section), the team roster, certifying the safety form, and payment of the team’s fees. ?

  • Both the primary and secondary PIs must:
    • have an iGEM user account
    • join an online team roster by the Roster Deadline.
  • Undergraduate and Overgraduate teams: At least one PI must be a faculty member.
  • High School teams: At least one PI must be a faculty member or a teacher at the high school.


Instructor role and requirements

Team instructors provide day-to-day support for the team, and are aware of team activities and experimental plans.

  • Instructors must:
    • have an iGEM user account
    • join the online team roster by the Roster Deadline


Advisor role and requirements

Team advisors include graduate students, post-graduate students, post-docs, and/or technicians who support the team.

  • Advisors must:
    • have an iGEM user account
    • Join the online team roster by the Roster Deadline


Student team leader role and requirements

Often, teams have a student team leader who serves as the team's point of contact between the team and PI, and the team and iGEM Headquarters.

  • Student team leaders must:
    • have an iGEM user account
    • Join the online team roster by the Roster Deadline