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Community Outreach Debate

Introduction

We held a debate with high school students on the topic: “Is it ethical to treat micro-organisms as a framework for the betterment of agriculture?” There are some intriguing thoughts emerging with the advancement of synthetic biology, and these may possibly elucidate a means of improving quality of life. Some people believe that we as human beings poorly manage the use of resources and are now reaping the fruits of past actions. Thus, it may seem unreasonable to use and modify other organisms in exchange for the betterment of our life. Therefore, we question whether “saving the world and improving quality of life” is an excuse to treat microorganisms as a biological machine in agricultural practices.

Objectives

1. To critically examine the ethical and moral landscapes of synthetic biology.
2. To reflect on the benefit and harm conferred by human activities.
3. To assess various attitudes towards the controversies surrounding synbio applications to improve people’s lives.

Participants

Twelve members of the Rice Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering (IBB) Girls STEM Initiative were invited to participate in our bioethics debate. These rising high school seniors—all females—from economically disadvantaged backgrounds take part in several mentored science and math activities throughout the year. This outreach program cultivates interest in STEM fields through exposure to the latest advances in biomedical research. Furthermore, the program promotes college readiness and encourages meaningful student-mentor interactions. More information about this organization can be found HERE.

Debate Topic

Students debated the question: Is it ethical to treat microorganisms as a machine for the betterment of agriculture?

Preparation

To prepare for this activity, students were asked to read the following two articles outlining some applications of synthetic biology, especially with respect to agriculture.

Videos

Students were divided into two groups, and each group was assigned to defend either the affirmative or the negative position. The girls used the first ten minutes of the activity to plan their opening statement, three main arguments, potential counterarguments, and closing remarks.