On July 3rd, two members of our team spoke with a representative from Ampacet in Terre Haute about our project. As a plastics expert, Dr. Jared Tatum explained the processes that are done at Ampacet. While discussing our project, Dr. Tatum offered the team PET plastic samples for our experiments. He will be giving us pure PET bottles, PET pellets, and PET powder. After explaining our experimental protocol ideas, Dr. Tatum advised us to change our procedures. Our original idea had been to let the bacteria eat the pellets as their only carbon source and observe the change. However, Dr. Tatum advised that we use the powder instead of the pellets because of the greater surface area to volume ratio. Additionally, he informed the team about the effect that humidity plays on the characteristics of pure PET. He encouraged us to monitor the humidity during our experiments and note any change in results based on a difference in humidity. Because pure PET is so susceptible to changes based on humidity, PET used in disposable water bottles contain a great amount of additives to stabilize the plastic and ensure long shelf life. Based on this new information, we began designing an experiment that would determine the effects of these additives on the ability of the bacteria to breakdown the PET.

Human Practices

At iGEM we believe societal considerations should be upfront and integrated throughout the design and execution of synthetic biology projects. “Human Practices” refers to iGEM teams’ efforts to actively consider how the world affects their work and the work affects the world. Through your Human Practices activities, your team should demonstrate how you have thought carefully and creatively about whether your project is responsible and good for the world. We invite you to explore issues relating (but not limited) to the ethics, safety, security, and sustainability of your project, and to show how this exploration feeds back into your project purpose, design and execution.

For more information, please see the Human Practices Hub. There you will find:

• an introduction to Human Practices at iGEM
• tips on how to succeed including explanations of judging criteria and advice about how to conduct and document your Human Practices work
• descriptions of exemplary work to inspire you
• links to helpful resources
• And more!

On this page, your team should document all of your Human Practices work and activities. You should write about the Human Practices topics you considered in your project, document any activities you conducted to explore these topics (such as engaging with experts and stakeholders), describe why you took a particular approach (including referencing any work you built upon), and explain if and how you integrated takeaways from your Human Practices work back into your project purpose, design and/or execution.

If your team has gone above and beyond in work related to safety, then you should document this work on your Safety wiki page and provide a description and link on this page. If your team has developed education and public engagement efforts that go beyond a focus on your particular project, and for which would like to nominate your team for the Best Education and Public Engagement Special Prize, you should document this work on your Education and Education wiki page and provide a description and link here.

Silver Medal Criterion #3

Convince the judges you have thought carefully and creatively about whether your work is responsible and good for the world. Document how you have investigated these issues and engaged with your relevant communities, why you chose this approach, and what you have learned. Please note that surveys will not fulfill this criteria unless you follow scientifically valid methods.

Gold Medal Criterion #1

Expand on your silver medal activity by demonstrating how you have integrated the investigated issues into the purpose, design and/or execution of your project. Document how your project has changed based upon your human practices work.

Best Integrated Human Practices Special Prize

To compete for the Best Integrated Human Practices prize, please describe your work on this page and also fill out the description on the judging form.

How does your project affect society and how does society influence the direction of your project? How might ethical considerations and stakeholder input guide your project purpose and design and the experiments you conduct in the lab? How does this feedback enter into the process of your work all through the iGEM competition? Document a thoughtful and creative approach to exploring these questions and how your project evolved in the process to compete for this award!

You must also delete the message box on the top of this page to be eligible for this prize.