Camilo Rodriguez-Beltran

I'm Mexican and I live a rather nomadic life working in 4 continents, with projects that relate to science and to art. Recently awarded the TED Fellowship (TEDGlobal 2010) I like to participate in the empowerment of marginalized societies particularly in developing countries. My spectrum of applications is wide and range from molecular biology to urban art. The common grounds for my projects are the culture, community and heterogeneity as a base for creation and innovation. I am mostly based in Argentina, the Basque Country and Mexico but work constantly in South America (Brazil, Bolivia) West Africa (Benin, Mali), South East Asia (Malaysia, Philippines) and the Pacific Islands (Solomon Islands). I hold an MSc in Biochemistry and Food Science from INSA, France with a specialization in post genomics. I have worked in scientific research institutions both in France and New Zealand. As a research associate for the University of Canterbury from 2004-2008 I was involved in projects related to molecular biology of horizontal gene transfer and developing capacity on the risk assessment of genetically modified organisms. Since then I've been working as an independent consultant in biosafety, biodiversity and global issues and I participate as an invited speaker in a number of public seminars, conferences, courses and media interviews around the world. Since 2005 I have participated in developing strategies for low cost approaches to molecular biology and since 2007 I have been involved in their application for monitoring of global changes in the form of low cost DNA analysis units used by communities in different parts of the globe. This work has been inspiration for the long feature documentary “Autrement” which I have co-directed in 2009 and that is currently at the post production stage (http://www.autrement.taleo-initiative.org). In 2008 I founded Taleo Initiative (www.taleo-initiative.org) as an idealized system where ideas on global challenges can be conceptualized through observation and alternative thinking. A “tankette” with multidisciplinary actions in the fields of environment, art, science, health and education among others. The same year I founded GKo Gallery (www.gko-gallery.com) as an experimental space for art creation in the Basque Country, where I constanty participate as a curator, co-manager and project coordinator.