Team:UIUC-Illinois/Bioethics

From 2010.igem.org

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==Bioethics Overview==
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<h1>Bioethics Overview</h1>
The University of Illinois Champaign Urbana 2010 iGEM team divided the bioethics project into two parts. First, we created and distributed a survey on the public’s knowledge and perception of synthetic biology. We then took the survey results and used them to customize our interactions with the public in order to better inform the community about synthetic biology.  
The University of Illinois Champaign Urbana 2010 iGEM team divided the bioethics project into two parts. First, we created and distributed a survey on the public’s knowledge and perception of synthetic biology. We then took the survey results and used them to customize our interactions with the public in order to better inform the community about synthetic biology.  
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==Part One: Survey==
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== Survey==
We created a survey to provide us with feedback on the general public’s perception of synthetic biology. As of August 11th 2010, we received 73 responses from a population consisting mostly of students. The bulk of our survey distribution was through Facebook, while we also acquired responses from public events such as the Engineering Open House and Biology Open House held on the University of Illinois Champaign Urbana campus. As a result, the majority of our sample population consisted of students and academics.  
We created a survey to provide us with feedback on the general public’s perception of synthetic biology. As of August 11th 2010, we received 73 responses from a population consisting mostly of students. The bulk of our survey distribution was through Facebook, while we also acquired responses from public events such as the Engineering Open House and Biology Open House held on the University of Illinois Champaign Urbana campus. As a result, the majority of our sample population consisted of students and academics.  
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UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Survey questions, responses, analysis and conclusions coming soon.
 
Questions:
Questions:
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<html><p><b><font size="3"> 6. What are the first 3 words that come to mind when you hear Synthetic Biology?  </font></b> </p>
<html><p><b><font size="3"> 6. What are the first 3 words that come to mind when you hear Synthetic Biology?  </font></b> </p>
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<br>
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Common Responses: man-made, fake, biology, confusing, complicated, medicine, genetics/genes/genetically modified organisms, bacteria, controversial, engineering, crops <br> <br>
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Some of our favorites: nerd, awesome, boring, cyborg, “pretty goddamn cool”<br> <br>
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We also noted that many people responded along the lines of “what is that?” so it is evident that a subset of our sample population didn't have a background on synthetic biology itself. <br> <br>
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For full list of survey answers to this question click </html>[https://2010.igem.org/Team:UIUC-Illinois/BioethicsQ6 here]<html> <br> <br>
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<p><b><font size="3">7. Are you aware of the human genome project?  </font></b> </p>
<p><b><font size="3">7. Are you aware of the human genome project?  </font></b> </p>
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<p><b><font size="3"> 8. What are your thoughts on artificial nature/intelligence? If the government asked for your support in this area, would you give it?  </font></b> </p>
<p><b><font size="3"> 8. What are your thoughts on artificial nature/intelligence? If the government asked for your support in this area, would you give it?  </font></b> </p>
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<p><b><font size="3">9. Can you name any ways synthetic biology or genetic engineering has affected your life?  </font></b> </p>
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It seemed like many people would support research in artificial nature and intelligence, however, with reservation. Most support was contingent on regulation, ethical boundaries, and safety. It was also good to see that those who didn't have the proper background knowledge stated so and that they could not make an educated opinion without this information.
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<p><b><font size="3">10. What kind of science and/or synthetic biology do you see in pop culture (music, movies, tv etc.)?  </font></b> </p>
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Some of our favorites: "Yes, its awesome. It has so many possibilities". "AI will take over the world!!! I would ask the government for bionic arms".
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<p><b><font size="3"> 11. What kind of things do you see in the future for science and/or synthetic biology?  </font></b> </p>
 
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<p><b><font size="3">12. Any other comments?  </font></b> </p>
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For full list of survey answers to this question click [https://2010.igem.org/Team:UIUC-Illinois/BioethicsQ8 here]
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==Part Two: Public Outreach==
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<p><b><font size="3">9. Can you name any ways synthetic biology or genetic engineering has affected your life?  </font></b> </p>
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As the second part of our bioethics project, we participated in a number of public events to inform the general public about iGEM and synthetic biology. The results of our survey were useful to help us gage our audience’s preconceived notions of synthetic biology. Listed below are each of our public outreach events, soon to be updated with descriptions and pictures.
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For full list of survey answers to this question click [https://2010.igem.org/Team:UIUC-Illinois/BioethicsQ9 here]
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===Outreach Events:===
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Common Responses: Many people mentioned genetically engineered crops and the production of drugs. Gene therapy was also a relatively frequent response.
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Engineering Open House:
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<p><b><font size="3">10. What kind of science and/or synthetic biology do you see in pop culture (music, movies, tv etc.)?  </font></b> </p>
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Biology Open House:
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Common Responses: The majority mentioned the movie GATTACA. Other common answers included Jurassic Park, I-Robot, and E.T.
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Science Olympiad National Tournament:
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For full list of survey answers to this question click [https://2010.igem.org/Team:UIUC-Illinois/BioethicsQ10 here]
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G.A.M.E.S. (Girls Adventures in Math Engineering and Science) Camp:
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<p><b><font size="3"> 11. What kind of things do you see in the future for science and/or synthetic biology?  </font></b> </p>
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iGEM Dots (A.K.A. Dippin'Dots) Sales:
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Common Responses: Curing diseases, creating pharmaceuticals, gene therapy, remedy of physical handicaps, and increasing life expectancy.
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===Upcoming events:===
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For full list of survey answers to this question click [https://2010.igem.org/Team:UIUC-Illinois/BioethicsQ11 here]
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Quad Day:
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<p><b><font size="3">12. Any other comments?  </font></b> </p>
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===Events in Planning Stage:===
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Parkland College Seminar:
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Orpheum Children's Science Museum:
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For full list of survey answers to this question click [https://2010.igem.org/Team:UIUC-Illinois/BioethicsQ12 here]

Latest revision as of 22:29, 27 October 2010

Click to go to the Illinois home page

Bioethics Overview

The University of Illinois Champaign Urbana 2010 iGEM team divided the bioethics project into two parts. First, we created and distributed a survey on the public’s knowledge and perception of synthetic biology. We then took the survey results and used them to customize our interactions with the public in order to better inform the community about synthetic biology.


Survey

We created a survey to provide us with feedback on the general public’s perception of synthetic biology. As of August 11th 2010, we received 73 responses from a population consisting mostly of students. The bulk of our survey distribution was through Facebook, while we also acquired responses from public events such as the Engineering Open House and Biology Open House held on the University of Illinois Champaign Urbana campus. As a result, the majority of our sample population consisted of students and academics.


Questions:

  1. What is your occupation?
  2. Do you have any religious affiliation?
  3. What is your commitment to this affiliation?
  4. Are you from the United States, and if so what state? If not, what country/region are you from?
  5. When was the last time you took a biology/engineering class?
  6. What are the first 3 words that come to mind when you hear Synthetic Biology?
  7. Are you aware of the human genome project?
  8. What are your thoughts on artificial nature/intelligence? If the government asked for your support in this area, would you give it?
  9. Can you name any ways synthetic biology or genetic engineering has affected your life?
  10. What kind of science and/or synthetic biology do you see in pop culture (music, movies, tv etc.)?
  11. What kind of things do you see in the future for science and/or synthetic biology?
  12. Any other comments?

1. What is your occupation?

UIUC Bioethics occupation.jpg

2. Do you have any religious affiliation?

UIUC Bioethics religion.jpg

3. What is your commitment to this affiliation?

UIUC Bioethics commitment.jpg

4. Are you from the United States, and if so what state? If not, what country/region are you from?

Illinois 65
Indiana 1
Missouri 1
Texas 1
Wisconsin 1
India 1
Taiwan 1
Vietnam 1

5.When was the last time you took a biology/engineering class?

UIUC Bioethics class.jpg

6. What are the first 3 words that come to mind when you hear Synthetic Biology?


Common Responses: man-made, fake, biology, confusing, complicated, medicine, genetics/genes/genetically modified organisms, bacteria, controversial, engineering, crops

Some of our favorites: nerd, awesome, boring, cyborg, “pretty goddamn cool”

We also noted that many people responded along the lines of “what is that?” so it is evident that a subset of our sample population didn't have a background on synthetic biology itself.

For full list of survey answers to this question click here

7. Are you aware of the human genome project?

UIUC Bioethics genome.jpg

8. What are your thoughts on artificial nature/intelligence? If the government asked for your support in this area, would you give it?

It seemed like many people would support research in artificial nature and intelligence, however, with reservation. Most support was contingent on regulation, ethical boundaries, and safety. It was also good to see that those who didn't have the proper background knowledge stated so and that they could not make an educated opinion without this information.

Some of our favorites: "Yes, its awesome. It has so many possibilities". "AI will take over the world!!! I would ask the government for bionic arms".


For full list of survey answers to this question click here

9. Can you name any ways synthetic biology or genetic engineering has affected your life?

For full list of survey answers to this question click here

Common Responses: Many people mentioned genetically engineered crops and the production of drugs. Gene therapy was also a relatively frequent response.

10. What kind of science and/or synthetic biology do you see in pop culture (music, movies, tv etc.)?

Common Responses: The majority mentioned the movie GATTACA. Other common answers included Jurassic Park, I-Robot, and E.T.

For full list of survey answers to this question click here

11. What kind of things do you see in the future for science and/or synthetic biology?

Common Responses: Curing diseases, creating pharmaceuticals, gene therapy, remedy of physical handicaps, and increasing life expectancy.

For full list of survey answers to this question click here

12. Any other comments?

For full list of survey answers to this question click here