Although it has been more than a month since I attended the Leonardo Art Science Evening Rendezvous (LASER) on May 2nd, it has most certainly not been far from my mind. I know it has become customary for me to always mention how our class sessions/events have boggled my thinking, but, absolutely nothing compares to this event… more specifically, Bill Fontana’s work.

Introduction

A few years ago, I vividly remember watching one of the many news stories featuring Dr. Jennifer Doudna (a key researcher associated with CRISPR gene editing) as she explained to the world what CRISPR technology can do. My family and I were captivated by her interview - gene editing was not an entirely new concept, but CRISPR technology meant it could almost effortlessly be done (“Game-Changing”).

Our discussion regarding our personal definitions of nature was extremely enlightening, and I think it was quite telling that we all have different interpretations of this commonly used term. Like many things in the world, the simplest concepts are sometimes the most personal and complex; we all have different perspectives on what one would assume to be the overtly “obvious.” Dr.

The midterm proposals of the “Biotech and Design” class are truly fascinating. They cover a diverse range of topics that all peak my interest, and, most importantly, it seems that all of them are seeking to do something to better society and the planet. It was difficult to narrow down this blog to a mere three proposals, but, alas, the assignment description has required me to do just that.

They say ignorance is bliss. In regard to the horror that is plastic, I would not say I used to be totally unaware, but I most certainly was ignorant when it came to my own use of this deadly material. To say that last Thursday’s class with Dr. Gimzewski was impactful would be an understatement.

Our work with Dr. Vesna’s HOX Zodiac project and discussion of our connections with food/animals immediately conjured up images of the Passover (Pesach) seder plate in my mind (Passover is currently taking place, so it is no mystery why this was such an immediate connection for me).

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION