1 | 1/17 | Orienting Ourselves to the Challenge
In Class
- welcome
- syllabus
- orienting ourselves to the Biodesign Challenge
- orienting ourselves to the future
- breakout groups
- lab check in
Homework
- reading: William MacAskill – The Case for Longtermism
- research: artist and designers using biology
- using Will Meyer’s Biodesign and BioArt books, choose one artist that you find compelling and research their work beyond these texts
- create 3-slide presentation on this person/group and add your slides to the group presentation
- slide 1 – show a work that is representative of this artist (from the book or elsewhere)
- slide 2 – present information/work/context about this artist not included in the book
- slide 3 – give you own perspective/critique on the work (consider the BDC rubric where appropriate)
- prepare to give a 5 minute talk to the class
- research: begin thinking about and researching topics, processes, and/or materials you want to explore for the main projects
2 | 1/24 | Researching Across Disciplines
In Class
- artist presentations
- discussion
- lecture: How to Approach Scientific Journals
- research time
- lab check in
Homework
- research assignment
- choose a topic of interest to you, related to our class
- think about potential project topics, but you’re not getting married here, its just for this week
- use google scholar to find 5-10 papers on this topic
- skim the papers as described in the lecture
- find one review paper and one original research paper that aligns with your interest and is most compatible with your comprehension level
- read the two papers thoroughly and take notes
- prepare to share a brief summary of the two papers in class
- read: An Ethic of Care essay by Joan Tronto
3 | 1/31 | Good Times
ethical frameworks for the past, present, and future
In Class
- research sharing
- lab check in
- lecture: Ethical frameworks for collaborative biofabrication practices
Homework
- research assignment II – potential non-human collaborators
- find an organism you might want to collaborate with
- what interesting things can it do that you can’t?
- what type of things might you do together?
- what are challenges to working together?
- read:
4 | 2/7 | Frameworks
IN CLASS
- lecture: Ethical frameworks for collaborative biofabrication practices
- research sharing
HOMEWORK
5 | 2/14 | Biomaterials
current status from lab to market
6 | 2/21 | Biosecurity
art, war, and other weird things humans do
7 | 2/28 | Bodies
sites of pleasure, violence, control, and meaning