Human Practices/Committee
Human Practices Committee
Many members of the iGEM community have expertise related to Human Practices. The Human Practices Executive Committee members works directly with the iGEM foundation to develop its human practices efforts including providing guidance on judging criteria, information and resources. Our advisory committee members provide additional guidance and have agreed to be contacted by teams seeking assistance on specific elements of their human practices work.
Have suggestions, need help or want to get in touch with our committee members? Email the executive committee at executivehp [AT] igem [DOT] org.
Megan J. Palmer
Executive Committee Chair
Senior Research Scholar, Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), Stanford University
A bioengineer by training, Megan’s expertise is in developing programs to engage scientists and engineers in policy-relevant issues in biotechnology.
Todd Kuiken
Executive Committee Member
Senior Research Scholar, Center for International Security and Cooperation (CISAC), Stanford University
Todd is an environmental scientist who now evaluates and designs new research and governance strategies to proactively address the biosafety, biosecurity and environmental risks associated with synthetic biology and genetic engineering.
Sam Weiss Evans
Executive Committee Member
Research Assistant Professor, Science, Technology, and Society (STS),Tufts University; Research Fellow, STS Program, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University
Sam is an expert in Science and Technology Studies, and understanding how we navigate the fine line between technologies that help and those that harm. He has been working with iGEM since 2012 to continually update Human Practices.
Peter Carr
Executive Judging Committee Representative
Senior Staff, MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Bioengineering Group; Member, Synthetic Biology Center at MIT (SBC@MIT), Director of Judging, iGEM
Peter wears many hats in iGEM, spanning the committees for judging, responsible conduct, safety, and human practices. In his day job he sits at the technical intersection of synthetic biology, microfluidics, and biosecurity.
Kim de Mora
iGEM Headquarters Representative
Director of Development, iGEM Foundation A Synthetic Biologist by training, Kim’s expertise lies in establishing and assessing the evaluation requirements for iGEM teams by developing medal and award criteria.
Piers Millet
iGEM Safety Representative
iGEM Director of Safety and Security; Global Fellow, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Piers works with governments, academia and industry to safeguard the use of biology as a manufacturing technology.
Emma Frow
Assistant Professor, School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University
With a background in biosciences and Science and Technology Studies (STS), Emma’s work focuses on standards and governance in synthetic biology.
Jane Calvert
Reader, Science, Technology and Innovation Studies, University of Edinburgh Jane is an expert in the the sociology of the life sciences with a focus on synthetic biology and has a long-standing interest in interdisciplinary collaborations. Her research draws on sociology and anthropology of science, the philosophy of biology, and science policy.
Terry Johnson
Associate Teaching Professor in Bioengineering, University of California, Berkeley Terry has been an iGEM advisor, judge, executive judging committee member and master of ceremonies for the Giant Jamboree. He teaches and write about biotechnology in society and how we might prepare ourselves for the future.
David Lloyd
CEO, FREDsense Technologies
David has been an iGEM student, advisor and judge and is now the CEO of a iGEM-based startup. His specialty is in entrepreneurship, user-focused design, and safety and ethics through the lens of product development.
Linda Kahl
Senior Counsel and Director of Ownership, Sharing and Innovation, The BioBricks Foundation
One of the many ways in which communities express cultural values is through legal frameworks for owning and sharing property. Linda’s expertise is in how existing legal frameworks are adapting (or not) to rapid advances in technologies for engineering biology.
Genya Dana
Principal, Dana & Sharpe Strategic Directions, LLC
Having served as a Senior Science Policy Officer for the US Department of State, Genya has expertise in international and domestic biotech policy and regulation, and in stakeholder engagement on synthetic biology.
Kenneth Oye
Professor of Political Science and Data Systems and Society and Director of the Program on Emerging Technologies (PoET), Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ken is an expert in international relations, political economy and technology policy. has focused on adaptive management of risks associated with synthetic biology and he has worked closely with iGEM on the development of the safety and Human Practices programs.
Larisa Rudenko
Visiting Scholar, MIT Center for International Studies
Larisa is an expert in science-based policy for the regulation of animal biotechnology and the development and implementation of new paradigms for risk assessment.
Joy Zhang
Associate Professor in Sociology, SSPSSR, University of Kent
Originally trained as a surgeon, Joy’s expertise is on the transnational governance of scientific uncertainty, with a focus on the Sino-European context. Her current research focuses on the promotion of institutional and cultural change to improve public accountability of the biosciences.
Nicholas Evans
Assistant Professor in Philosophy, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Nicholas is a bioethicist specializing in the regulation of dual-use research concern in the life sciences. His current work focuses on how we weigh the risks and benefits of different research methods in virology and synthetic biology.
Kelly Hills
Professional Editor and Writer, Independent
A software test engineer before she returned to school for degrees in the history of ideas and medical history and ethics, Kelly uses her technology and bioethics backgrounds together to write and consult on ethical issues in emerging technologies.
Tim Trevan
Co-Founder, Chrome Biorisk Management Consulting
With a background in biosciences, business and diplomacy, Tim’s work focuses on the management aspects of designing and implementing a culture of safety in organizations whose work involves biological risks.
Want to join the advisory committee?
Email the executive committee with the subject line: "iGEM Human Practices advisory committee application". Please include a short description of yourself, your experience, why you want to be involved and links to your relevant work/linkedin/social media profile.
