Dear John,

This week, May 21-23, the Global Observatory on Genome Editing is hosting an international Summit in Boston. This event is meant to complement the previous three international Summits on human genome editing that were organized by national science academies, but with the intention of including a broader range of perspectives and “foreground[ing] questions about biotechnologies that may alter the meaning of being human.” 

In-person and virtual attendance are available. Check out the Summit program and register here for the plenary sessions.

In addition to associate director Katie Hasson’s participation in the panel “Public Imaginations of Public Goods” on Thursday, the Center for Genetics and Society will also be organizing a side event held during lunch on Friday.

Bringing Excluded Voices to the Table

Hosted by the Center for Genetics and Society

at the Global Observatory International Summit on Human Genome Editing

Friday, May 23 | 12:35-1:30pm ET | Council Room, AAAS Conference Center

Registration is not required for this panel.

To attend virtually, just click the button below to access the zoom webinar on 

Friday at 12:35pm ET / 9:35am PT / 6:35pm CET

Bringing civil society into conversations on human genome editing and related practices is a key but often neglected aspect of public engagement. Why is this important? What does it look like and how does it work? This event brings together advocates and scholars working closely with civil society and social change organizations across women’s health, reproductive rights and justice, and disability rights to discuss what it takes to truly include missing and excluded voices. Panelists will share examples of collaborations among academia and social change organizations and highlight ways that engaging civil society has changed the conversation – for example by opening space for consideration of under-recognized eugenic and other social consequences of these technologies for the future of justice and equality.

Panelists:

Sarojini Nadimpally, SAMA - Resource Group for Women and Health

Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Emory University

Katie Hasson, Center for Genetics and Society

Our Bodies Ourselves, TBC

Françoise Baylis, Dalhousie University (moderator)

Register for in-person or virtual attendance at the Summit’s plenary sessions here.

Want to learn more about past International Summits on Human Genome Editing? Check out CGS’ two-part event from 2023: Genetic Justice from Start to Summit, which centered social justice and human rights, presenting voices and perspectives from feminist, disability rights, reproductive rights and justice, racial justice, environmental, and human rights movements and scholars. This page also includes background reading and other resources.