Team:UCSC/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.
Info Title 1
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.
Info Title 2
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.
The PoPPY team would like to thank everyone who has helped make this project possible. For the past five years, undergraduates at UCSC have participated in iGEM. This year, the team is composed of students studying Bioengineering, Bioinformatics, Bioengineering (Assistive Technology: Motor), Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Marine Biology, and Cognitive Science: Artificial Intelligence and Human Computer Interaction. Our diverse group of individuals is crucial for the creative process behind using synthetic biology to help others. Modern engineering demands collaboration between individuals and pushes them to think critically and work efficiently. Through synthetic biology, the 2018 UCSC iGEM team is creating effective solutions and developing models for future success.
Why Us?
Our team is constantly looking for opportunities to connect with the community. We believe communication is the first step to understanding how we can help change the world. Working with others is essential. Some of the reasons to contact us include, if you
- have any info or questions about our work,
- are interested in collaborating with us,
- are interested in funding our project,
- would like to share your story.
Thank You
To everyone who has reached out to us so far. Where we are right now is so much more than just a large effort on our part. We have had so many amazing people and sponsors who have provided us with funding, analytical software, lab materials, and stories about how people in lesser developed areas personally have struggled with women's health issues. What we have done could not have been possible without the contributions of all these people.
★ ALERT!
This page is used by the judges to evaluate your team for the medal criterion or award listed below.
Delete this box in order to be evaluated for this medal criterion and/or award. See more information at Instructions for Pages for awards.
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.
The iGEM judges will review this page to assess whether you have met the Silver and/or Gold medal requirements based on the Integrated Human Practices criteria listed below. If you nominate your team for the Best Integrated Human Practices Special Prize by filling out the corresponding field in the judging form, the judges will also review this page to consider your team for that prize.
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.