iGEMers, iGEM alumni and policy enthusiasts discuss how to be more engaged with science policy
Earlier this month, the After iGEM Policy Committee organized the iGEM Policy Hackathon on the Just One Giant Lab (JOGL) platform. During the event, iGEMers, iGEM alumni and policy enthusiasts got together online to discuss how they can be more engaged with science policy and help shape what the future landscape of synthetic biology looks like. The After iGEM Policy Committee was created to provide assistance to iGEM teams taking part in public hearings, policy discussions, and in the institutional level policymaking in their regions.
According to Shrestha Rath, co-chair of the After iGEM Policy Committee that organized the event, the hackathon “tasked the participants to come up with innovative policy solutions and recommendations for challenges that they are passionate about. The challenges were divided into 3 categories: Public Health, Data & Education and Sustainability. The recommendations were judged on the basis of a white paper and a 3-minute video submitted by the participants.”
She added: “While using the JOGL platform, I believe that the option of thinking about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals related to the problems/challenges that the participants were tackling was a great way for them to visualize the impact of their work.”
André Hermann, co-chair of the After iGEM Policy Committee, said: “JOGL was a great way to create collaborations, the teams were able to share great ideas with more people!”
The winning team was FCB-UANL from Mexico. This is what they had to say about the hackathon:
The policy hackathon opened up my eyes to new possibilities regarding science, I never thought policies played such an important role in science and now I am interested in participating with my country to better understand the risks and benefits of science — Alonso Flores.
The Policy Hackathon made me realize that anyone can make a difference in science policy, even if they are just students like us. We need more hackathons like this in order to get new ideas for policy recommendations from young people — Cynthia Elizabeth Valenzuela Chapa.
This hackathon gave me the opportunity to understand how important policies are for the development of real applications of the science we do every day in the labs. We should be able to develop policies that respond to the need of the world as fast as we develop scientific solutions — Julieta Melendez.
Shreenidhi Subramaniyan, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biotechnology at Rajalakshmi Engineering College, said:
I first heard about the After iGEM community during the Giant Jamboree in 2017, and I started following them on social media. When I read about this policy hackathon, I decided to apply to be a judge. During the event, we talked about many topics regarding the awareness of synthetic biology and biotechnology by the general public. It was quite an interesting and enlightening experience. I thank the After iGEM community and organizers, and I look forward to being part of the community to help bring about changes in society!
We asked what’s coming next for the After iGEM Policy Committee, and Shrestha Rath, co-chair, said:
In the near future, all hands are on deck with the preparation for the first-ever virtual Giant Jamboree this year! We are trying to create and sustain the interest of the synbio community in science policy and support iGEMers in their policy interests. We look forward to running more iterations of the policy hackathon and the feedback and appreciation received from the participants, speakers and judges would help us organize and create another great weekend of deliberation and collaboration.
André Hermann, co-chair of the After iGEM Policy Committee, added:
There are many possibilities for synthetic biology to address the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, but we need support from the general public and policymakers. Our community needs to improve the way science communication is done, and we need to be more inclusive. We also need to communicate risks and uncertainties, but at the same time, share hope and enthusiasm about what we achieved so far!
The events were recorded and they are available on YouTube:
