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Policy and Practices
From 2014.igem.org
What is "Policy & Practices"?
"Policy & Practices is the study of how your work affects the world, and how the world affects your work."
— Peter Carr, Director of Judging
(Note: difference between P&P track and P&P component of all projects)
Suggested Topic Areas
Assessing Your Project
Risk Assessment
How might your project affect the health of humans or the environment? If it is a Health & Medicine project, will it be safe for patients, and will it have side effects? If it is an Environment project, will it affect biodiversity?
Consult with experts and consider the potential risks of your project. Think about how to address and minimize those risks.
Feasibility Assessment
Consider the economics of your project. How does it compare to competing technologies and methods for accomplishing the same goal? Is it possible to manufacture and sell your product at a price that your users are willing to pay? Who might lose their job -- or gain a new job -- as a result of your project?
End-User Considerations
How will people actually use your project? How will it be delivered (as a pill, as an environmental monitoring station, as a garden spray, as an industrial/factory process)? What should it cost? How quickly must it operate? How should users safely dispose of your product, once they are finished using it?
Approach some potential end-users of your project and find out about their daily lives. Examine how your project might fit into their daily routines, or how it might change their daily routines.
Helping the Practice of Science and Engineering
Law and Regulation
Synthetic biology is a new and rapidly changing field of engineering, and it presents great challenges for local, national, and international laws.
Are there lawmakers in your country who ought to know more about synthetic biology? See if you can give them an informative presentation!
What are the laws that apply to scientists and engineers in your country? Are any of them too strict, preventing the advancement of science? Are any of them too permissive, allowing scientists to proceed without accounting for the possible harms that might result? Discuss the situation with experts and write to your lawmakers!
Safety
Security
Could your project be misused by someone who wanted to purposefully hurt humans or the environment? Can you make changes in your design to prevent such purposeful misuse?
Can you spot any gaps in the laws, customs, and institutions that prevent malicious people from using synthetic biology to do harm? What exactly are the vulnerabilities? Can you do some "white hat hacking" to test those vulnerabilities? How could those vulnerabilities be fixed?
("White hat hacking" means that you openly and honestly test the security of a system, intending to expose and repair a vulnerability without exploiting it. For example, to test the security of a DNA synthesis company against people ordering dangerous pathogenic genes, you might place an order for dangerous pathogenic genes, but then contact the company, explain your intent, and ask them to halt the order before they actually send you any dangerous DNA.)
Philosophy
Public Engagement
Education
Public Outreach & Dialogue
Ethics
Exemplary Past Projects
Tips & Tricks
Remember to consult with experts even if you are planning to do a public survey or outreach to high schools. With a little bit of help from experienced survey designers or professional educators, your work can become much more effective!
Where can I start?
Seeking Expert Consultations
Who is the Policy & Practices Track Committee?
- Megan Palmer (co-chair)
- Emma Frow (co-chair)
- Laura Adam
- Nancy Burgess
- Jane Calvert
- Linda Kahl
- Todd Kuiken
- David Lloyd
- Ken Oye
- Piers Millet
- Samuel Yu
- Scott Edmunds
- Tim Trevan
- (others TBA)
