This proposal funded by the Science, Technology & Society Program supports a workshop on synthetic biology and sustainability science. The workshop takes as its point of departure the assumption that Science and Technology Studies (STS), rather than existing as a mere playing field between natural and social sciences, offers solid and productive theoretical models to approach sustainability challenges. Especially in the case of emerging technologies branded as "sustainable" -- like synthetic biology -- science and technology studies provides useful critical lenses for approaching: 1) synthetic biology promises and their actual relevance to sustainability science; 2) socio-technical alternatives in the development of this new technology; and 3) the dynamics at stake in the co-evolution of this technology and society.
The overall goal of the workshop is to convene not only STS scholars but also experts from synthetic biology and environmental sciences and engineering from both Europe and the United States to initiate a guided but open discussion on the implications of synthetic biology for sustainability science and policy. This appears to be the first research effort promoting collaborations between synthetic biologists, environmental scientists, STS, and sustainability experts. Building on the productive theoretical models inspired by sustainability research may lead to early reflections on sustainable trajectories for the development of synthetic biology applications.
Intellectual Merit: One of the intellectual merits of this workshop is to provide researchers with the opportunity to reflect about sustainability commitments and their implications for our synthetic biology case-study under the light of questions, uncertainties and ambiguities that are not motivated by only one formed discipline. The outcomes of the workshop are of value in stimulating innovative research.
Broader impact: This workshop is an opportunity to develop a new area of research -- at the boundary between STS, synthetic biology and environmental engineering -- that would be profitable not only for better pedagogy, but also the science policy community. One of the target audiences for the outcomes is decision-makers, institutional experts and funding agencies, who need a clear perspective on the challenges posed by synthetic biology to sustainable development. The outcomes of the workshop also inform stakeholders in general -- including the public -- on the potential societal and environmental implications of synthetic biology.
