Team:Brown/Human Practices/Synbio survey

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Survey

We were interested in how the rest of their community at Brown University perceived Synthetic Biology. We created a survey, distributed campus-wide online. After a total of 457 responses, here are our results! Most of the respondents were females, students, and those concentrating in the sciences. However, we did get responses from faculty and non-science concentrators as well.

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Total respondents: 457

Demographic Questions

How old are you?

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The majority of our respondents were students.

How would you describe your gender?

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Respondents were about 2/3 female, 1/3 male.

What is the most recent level of education you've completed?

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Again, most of the respondents were university students. We suspect that many of those who answered 'High School' also fell into the 'Some College' category, so for the purpose of analyses these two will be grouped.

What is the highest level of education you plan to attain?

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More than 80% of respondents are seeking at least a Master's degree.

What is your level of biology education?

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There is a good spread of biology education in our respondents, which lends itself well to analysis. Very few respondents had absolutely no biology education.

How would you classify your concentration?

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Familiarity with Synthetic Biology

Have you heard of "Synthetic Biology" before?

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If yes, where?

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Define what you think Synthetic Biology is (or might be)

It appears that "synthetic biology" is a phrase that evokes many different images in people's minds. While some respondents are familiar with the academic field that iGEM celebrates, others associate it solely with the creation of life and new organisms (a la Craig Venter). Yet another common understanding emphasizes the "synthetic" portion, focusing on the incorporation of inorganic material with living organisms.

Some sample responses:

  • "Man's manipulation of nature for a better explantion of the end result, or to obtain a better end result."
  • "Synthetic biology is the field of creating new innovations using the systems available in nature."
  • "The creation and study of organisms derived through synthetic means."
  • "Synthesizing life in a laboratory setting to perform tasks."
  • "a way to merge something living with inanimate objects"

Uses of Synthetic Biology

What words would you use to describe synthetic biology? (from a list)

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A weighted tag cloud of all the words:

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Pick 2 areas you think would most benefit from synthetic biology

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Synthetic biology is the future of biology

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1 - Disagree strongly -> 5 - Agree strongly

Human Practices / Ethics

I am concerned about the deliberate misuse/abuse of genetically modified organisms

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1 - Disagree strongly -> 5 - Agree strongly

I am concerned about the unintended consequences of genetically modified organisms

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1 - Disagree strongly -> 5 - Agree strongly

There should be greater restrictions on genetic modification of plants/animals

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1 - Disagree strongly -> 5 - Agree strongly

Genetically modified organisms can be beneficial to society

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1 - Disagree strongly -> 5 - Agree strongly

It is currently easy to genetically modify a plant/animal

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1 - Disagree strongly -> 5 - Agree strongly

Genetic modification is morally/ethically wrong

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1 - Disagree strongly -> 5 - Agree strongly

Discussion

What's the coolest use of synthetic biology you can think of?

Energy and human health were two common applications, corroborating our other data that these were the two fields people thought would benefit the most from synthetic biology.

Sample responses:

  • "Maybe developing a solar panel that can create energy as a biological system (in a way a biological system/organism would) instead of using expensive solar crystals and cells."
  • "some really efficient biogas making bacteria that don't need a lot of input."
  • "Creating living bio-homes with fluorescent bacteria instead of electrical lighting, with the actual home made of a modular living creation that is basically autotrophic."
  • "perhaps finding a way to fix atmospheric carbon into a solid state carbon--reducing global warming"
  • "Engineering synthetic or genetically engineering bacteria or algae to produce fossil fuel supplements or replacements."
  • "Make me an interface where I can watch Youtube videos directly into my brain."
  • "Drug delivery mechanisms."
  • "Using synthesized viruses or bacteria to fight cancer."
  • "Yeast that are able to withstand higher alcohol concentrations and therefore produce higher alcohol content beer."

Do you have any other opinions or thoughts on synthetic biology that you would like to share with us?

Analysis

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