iGEM jamboree workshop 'Looking ahead'

iGEM jamboree workshop 'Looking ahead'

Date: 
31/10/2014 - 12:30 to 14:00

Looking ahead - Future scenarios as a useful tool for Policy and Practices?

SYNENERGENE workshop at the iGEM jamboree 2014 in Boston, Room 202

Friday, October 31, 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Saturday, November 1, 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm
Sunday, November 2, 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm

In order to ensure that developments in science and technology better align with views and values in society, increasingly more efforts are being made to organize societal dialogue. Given the crucial role of ‘policy and practices’ in iGEM, the competition is often viewed as a frontrunner in this regard. Therefore, the EU-funded project Synenergene – dedicated to responsible research and innovation in synthetic biology – teamed up with iGEM to promote dialogue on synthetic biology.

Discussing the potential impact and desirability of synthetic biology is however quite a challenge, since the field is still largely confined to the laboratory. So, how can we facilitate a meaningful dialogue on synthetic biology without too much speculation? To this end, future scenarios have proven a useful tool. Scenarios can visualize a future situation in which synthetic biology is plausibly applied and make us aware of potential moral issues. Eight iGEM teams were funded and assisted by Synenergene to develop a future scenario based on their very own iGEM project.

In this workshop, these iGEM teams will share their experiences on developing and using future scenarios and reflect on its potential as a useful tool for policy and practices.

with Virgil Rerimassie, Wieke Betten and Dirk Stemerding
Rathenau Institute The Hague, Athena Institute Amsterdam

Location: 
Hynes Convention Center, R. 202
900 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02115
United States
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