Workshop Reflections

Workshop Reflections
 

Graduate Student Reflections of the Workshop

Tina Ndoh
​North Carolina State University

Debby Scott
Rutgers University

Teresa Branch-Smith
University of Waterloo

Graduate students who attended the ASU Workshop on Research Agendas in the Societal Aspects of Synthetic Biology were asked to provide reflections of their experiences. They consider what they learned, what the field's emerging research needs are, how their views were influenced by the workshop, and whether the workshop was successful in setting a research agenda. 

For Synbio's Hammer Society Needs Many Nails; What Are We Building?

Michael J. Bernstein
Arizona State University

Bernstein discusses the relevance of plurality; social and technological context; and knowledge gained from other technologies when considering program design related to the societal aspects of synthetic biology. 

Informal Afterthoughts

Jennifer Liu
University of Waterloo

Liu discusses the question raised at the workshop regarding what synbio is, and what it is not, and how it impacts both the rhetorical shaping of synbio discussions and publics' perceptions of synbio. She also gives general impressions on the overall format and effectiveness of the workshop and conclusions about moving forward with research in the societal aspects of synbio.  

Post Workshop Brief Report

Fujia "Cliff" Li
University of Exeter

Li discusses questions and tensions related to research identities, group belongings, academic status, and interactions that the workshop raised for him when discussing responsible research and innovation.