Human Practices

In addition to our laboratory work exploring the vast usefulness and potential properties of silk, we were strongly inspired to look at the societal and environmental implications of our actions.

First, we were motivated to discuss the societal implications of our research outside of the “iGEM” space. Namely, we wanted to hear from members in industry how work with silks can transform and revolutionize the field of manufacturing high performance fibers. We were fortunate enough to meet with David Breslauer, CSO and Co-Founder of Bolt Threads, a start-up company determined to bring high performance synthetic silks to the market using yeast as a model organism. In our interview and tour of their facility, we learned a great deal about the implications of our silk as a product that could shape an entirely new output of novel materials for defense and biomedical purposes. He expressed that not only could our work we useful for synthetic biology applications, but could also yield a product that is highly useful for social purposes.

Third, we wanted to discuss the “lighter” idea of our research, namely, how producing novel silk materials could affect our perception of nature and the artistic implications behind doing so. To expand upon our collaboration with local silk artist Jason Fahrion and the UCLA Art|Sci Center, we were graciously invited to deliver a lecture and workshop at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, entitled “Natural Discourse: Flora and Fauna”, where we discuss the connections between art and science within the framework of botanical gardens and natural history collections, like silk. Additionally, we will be delivering this same workshop in conjunction with the Art|Sci Center at UCLA in the upcoming academic quarter. We hope that by discussing the basic science and displaying the simple techniques used to construct these synthetic silks, that we bridge the gap between understanding the intrinsic artistic properties of silk, and the power of the engineering principles that derive them.

Lastly, we wanted to bring this level of education not only to those inspired by the artistic elements, but also to those that we as STEM students desperately need to inspire scientifically -- secondary students. Students attending at-risk and underprivileged high schools and becoming less interested in pursuing science as a career in alarming rates. To help engage our community, we partnered with a UCLA science outreach group called CityLAb and a nonprofit education summer camp organization called STAR Education, to develop a module specifically designed to enhance students interest in synthetic biology. We had students design basic gene circuits, and offer suggestions about where they think the science of silk can take us in the future. We hope that this model of education, where we give students’ hands on experiences and the opportunity to collaborate and give ideas to scientists in the field, can inspire and enrich students to pursue a STEM career.

Education is also critically important for our undergraduate members too. As an undergraduate lab (as many of you are), we pride ourselves on designing, implementing, and executing our novel projects. But in order to make these projects a reality, and in order to truly our undergraduate members an experience that mimics a traditional laboratory setting, we decided to implement a two year project cycle, in which a single research project will be focused on for two years instead of just one. We believe that this model enhances both a depth and breadth understanding of a critical issue facing synthetic biology. In this two-year project cycle, we also are implementing a “seed-project” in which a group of our younger members begin to design and implement a novel synthetic biology project for the 2nd year of the cycle.