From 2011.igem.org

Revision as of 07:24, 18 September 2011

UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA-JOHN INNES CENTRE

Interview Four

Interviewer:

‘’Do you actually know what synthetic biology is?’’

Interviewee:

‘’No, although, not exact because I’m not got a science background but I know it’s sort of very cutting edge, very exciting.’’

Interviewer:

‘’I’ll just give you a very basic definition. An area of biological research that combines science and engineering. That’s a very basic definition.’’

Interviewee:

‘’It’s very theoretical, isn’t it? ‘’

Interviewer:

‘’Yeah, just theory basically yeah.’’

‘’So do you have any opinions of synthetic biology?’’

Interviewee:

‘’No, i don’t have any opinion on it. I’m very for anything that.. people here are very excited about, their usually sort of very knowledgeable about things and if their interested in things then usually I can get some kind of interest as well myself. Their so knowledgeable here that you can see a lot of people sort of, grouping towards one area you usually think, that’s where things are seeming to go. ‘’

Interviewer:

‘’Has the media influenced your opinion on synthetic biology? Have you seen anything on the news at all?’’

Interviewee:

‘’No there’s not been much... no there’s nothing. ‘’

Interviewer:

‘’Do you know much about genetic modification? ‘’

Interviewee:

‘’The person I use to work for was one of the very first researchers into GM so I know the background, I don’t know the science. I know the very basics of science but I know a lot about the background of GM. ‘’

Interviewer:

‘’How do you feel about genetic modification?’’

Interviewee:

‘’I think it’s a really useful tool to have, we need food. Im more towards the pro side as the research have been going on such a long time now, the crops are been grown and have been grown for years now so.’’

Interviewer:

‘’Has the media influenced your opinion on genetic modification? ‘’

Interviewee:

‘’I do read things but some of its so ridicules, some of the anti stuff; it doesn’t tent to be very balanced. I think after a few years I’ve stops taking it in. Unless they came up with something very convincing.’’

Interviewer:

‘’Do you think either of these approaches could help the world? If yes, how do you recon if could be applied? Or do you recon it could cause some harm?’’

Interviewee:

‘’Yeah I think it could cause some harm and good, it depends how it’s approached and how its managed. The synthetic biology thing is almost like an art, like a theory, so you can’t stop peoples imagination. If you did that would be terrible. ‘’

Interviewer:

‘’Do you think scientists will go too far with it?’’

Interviewee:

‘’They might do. We hope not. It’s up to society decide this sort of thing but you hope society is going to make a sensible decision. ‘’

Interviewer:

‘’Do you recon you’d feel possibly different about the approaches if you know more information was more readily available to the public?’’

Interviewee:

‘’There’s probably quite a lot of information available about both of them if you look for it but I’m not quite sure if I’d feel differently. People tend to, after a few years; people’s opinions tend to settle down about things. ‘’

Interviewer:

‘’That’s true. Some people can be really bias and be one sided, and stick with it. ‘’