Dr Joy Zhang has been appointed as a member of the Human Practices Committee for the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition (iGEM). Launched by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2003, iGEM has grown to be the most influential worldwide synthetic biology competition, reaching over more than 30 countries. Given its emphasis on promoting cutting-edge innovation with real-world applications, many iGEM projects have been published as important scientific advances in top academic journals such as Nature, Science and Cell. The competition’s cultivation of an open-source and interdisciplinary community has been a strong force in shaping new research ethics among a new generation of scientists.
Dr Zhang’s appointment of the Human Practices Committee is based on her expertise on scientific governance and on Asian research culture. Her 2013 Working Paper, The Transnational Governance of Synthetic Biology: Scientific Uncertainty, Cross-Borderness and the ‘Art’ of Governance, has informed the policy making of the Royal Society in London. Along with other Committee members, Dr Zhang is to provide guidance on judging criteria for the iGEM competition, and to create resources to aid teams in developing responsible research.
- Joy Zhang is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Kent’s School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research