American Eugenics Society photograph of winner in Large Family Class, Texas State Fair, 1925. Parents and five children. Family posed in bathing suits, back to back.

Blog: Science Ideology and Policy: Eugenics in the South

April 16, 2024 | Guest Author

Ruthie Stokes | In the annals of history, the American South has been marked by a complex tapestry of culture, tradition, and struggle. Yet, amidst the backdrop of rural landscapes and Jim Crow laws, there lurked a shadowy chapter: the era of eugenics....

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Blog: Saving Our Seeds, Changing Our Perspective

April 2, 2024 | Guest Author

Asa Budnick | The act of saving a seed holds varied meanings, from my perspective as a molecular biologist, refrigerating seeds for experiments, to the broader perspectives of farmers, breeders, and nations, reflecting the diverse value and conservation methods of seeds, as explored in Dr. Helen Anne Curry’s discussion on seed conservation history and its intersections with scientific, imperialistic, and agricultural narratives....

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Blog: Bringing in Indigenous Perspectives on Synthetic Biology for Conservation

February 27, 2024 | Guest Author

Jill Furgurson | Dr. Kirsty Wissing's colloquium presentation highlighted the essential role of Indigenous participation in shaping conservation agendas, advocating for approaches that honor traditional ecological knowledge....

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Nick Loschin with David Andow at the GES colloquium on February 6, 2024

Blog: Key Ecological Perspectives: Tracing the Evolution of GMO Oversight with Dr. David Andow

February 21, 2024 | Guest Author

Nick Loschin | Dr. David Andow provided his insights and expertise on ecological and evolutionary perspectives related to genetic engineering through key events from the 1980s to the early 2000s...

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This photograph is dated 1926 in the American Eugenics Society Records. The sign at the top reads, “This light flashes every 15 seconds. Every 15 seconds, $1.00 of your money goes for the care of persons with bad heredity such as the insane feebleminded criminals & other defectives”. Below center, promotional material for a “Fitter Families Contest” to be held at the Eastern States Exposition in Springfield, Mass.

Blog: Remembering 20th Century Eugenics in North Carolina

February 14, 2024 | Guest Author

Nolan Speicher | In a recent GES colloquium, PhD student Grace Wiedrich shared archival research that invites audiences to reflect on the eugenics movement and its intersections with our local history....

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AgBioFEWS Cohort 3 – Omics for AgBiotech Regulation: Choices and Consequences | Final Spring GES Colloquium!

January 3, 2024 | Patti Mulligan

AgBioFEWS Cohort 3 discusses an ongoing interdisciplinary effort that seeks to better understand the implications of -omics technologies for regulatory oversight of agricultural products. IN-PERSON ONLY, NO ZOOM...

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Barbara Herr Harthorn – Investigating the societal and ethical implications of synthetic cells [Zoom Only] | GES Colloquium

January 3, 2024 | Patti Mulligan

ZOOM ONLY. This talk introduces 3 ongoing NSF-funded collaborative interdisciplinary projects investigating US public and expert views on bottom-up synthetic cells using a responsible research and innovation framework....

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Eric Hallerman – Gene Technology in Aquaculture | GES Colloquium

January 3, 2024 | Patti Mulligan

While aquaculture biotechnology has the potential to improve the sustainability of aquaculture, its realization will depend upon enabling public policy....

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Steve Heine – Essentialism and Distortion in Eugenics and GMO Attitudes [Zoom Only] | GES Colloquium

January 3, 2024 | Patti Mulligan

How psychological biases of essentialism distort the ways people understand genetics, eugenics, and GMO products....

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Anna Krome-Lukens – Eugenics and the Welfare State in North Carolina | GES Colloquium

January 3, 2024 | Patti Mulligan

Anna Krome-Lukens, PhD, Teaching Associate Professor and Director of Experiential Education, Public Policy at UNC-Chapel Hill...

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Jen Rowland – Agricultural Biotechnology at USDA and Beyond [Zoom Only] | GES Colloquium

January 3, 2024 | Patti Mulligan

[ZOOM ONLY] USDA supports the development, use, regulation, and trade of agricultural biotechnologies through multiple agencies and programs....

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GES Colloquium - March 5, 2024, 12 PM - Zoom only Caring for the Enemy, Killing the Ally: The More-than-Human Politics of Transgenic Mosquitoes in Brazil Luísa Reis-Castro, PhD, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Southern California

Luisa Reis-Castro – The More-than-Human Politics of Transgenic Mosquitoes in Brazil [Zoom Only] | GES Colloquium

January 3, 2024 | Patti Mulligan

ZOOM ONLY. This talk, based on ethnographic research with scientists and technicians working with transgenic mosquitoes in Brazil, examines the class, gender, and regional issues present in the efforts to transform the mosquito from a “problem” into a “solution.”...

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Helen Anne Curry – Local seeds, global needs, and the history of agrobiodiversity conservation | GES Colloquium

January 3, 2024 | Patti Mulligan

This talk will explore how insights from Indigenous agricultural practices, both past and present, can inform global efforts to conserve diverse crop varieties and bridge the gap between local practices and broader sustainability goals....

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Kirsty Wissing – Indigenous Perspectives on Synthetic Biology for Conservation [Zoom Only] | GES Colloquium

January 3, 2024 | Patti Mulligan

[Zoom Only] A discussion of synthetic biology and Torres Strait Islanders, bringing their perspectives into conversation to explore cultural implications for future island-bound applications of genetic biocontrol technologies, such as gene drives....

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David Andow – Ecological and evolutionary perspectives on genetic engineering | GES Colloquium

January 3, 2024 | Patti Mulligan

Ecological and evolutionary perspectives have greatly influenced the development of genetic engineering as exemplified by significant events from history....

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