A short history of the GEB department and the alumni association

Every alumni association begins with a department and the people who pass through it. This is a brief account of where the GEB Alumni Association comes from and what it is for.

The department

The Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (GEB) was established in 2004 under the School of Life Sciences at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) in Sylhet, Bangladesh. As the department rapidly developed into a center of excellence in life sciences, the need for a structured alumni platform became evident.

The association

The GEB Alumni Association (GEBAA) was formed to unite graduates of the department, maintain strong connections between alumni and the university, and create a collaborative network that supports both professional growth and departmental advancement. It is the official alumni platform of the department.

Its milestones so far can be summarised simply:

• 2004: establishment of the GEB Department at SUST.
• Formation of the GEB Alumni Association to connect alumni globally.
• Organisation of alumni reunions, seminars and professional networking initiatives.

What the association does

The association's work rests on four pillars:

• Networking: connecting alumni locally and internationally, creating opportunities for collaboration in academia, research and industry.
• Mentorship: pairing students and recent graduates with experienced alumni for guidance on research, higher studies and career choices.
• Career support: sharing jobs, internships and research positions, and helping graduates prepare for higher studies and industry careers.
• Events: organising reunions, seminars, workshops, conferences and social gatherings to strengthen community ties.

Vision and mission

The association's vision is to build a strong, globally connected alumni network that advances scientific excellence, professional development and the long-term growth of the GEB department at SUST.

Its mission is to connect GEB graduates across generations, support students and early-career alumni through mentorship and career guidance, and contribute to the growth of the GEB Department at SUST.

Leadership

The association is guided by an Executive Committee composed of alumni members committed to transparency, accountability and progress. The members of the 1st Executive Committee, led by President G. M. Nurnabi Azad Jewel and General Secretary Mahmudul Hasan, are listed on the About page.

The next chapter

Any GEB graduate of SUST can join the association, including those who earned only an MS or PhD at the department. With the new website, membership, the alumni directory, events, opportunities and this blog are all in one place. The history of the association is still being written — by every graduate who reconnects, mentors a student or shares an opportunity.