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July 26, 2023
Discussion of "The Genesis Machine: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology" 7:15 p.m. CDT | Online |
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Location
Online Zoom (register for event to receive link) |
Agenda
7:15 - 8:30 p.m. | Discussion |
Event Summary
For our July monthly online discussion, SXSW Co-President & Chief Programming Officer, Hugh Forrest, will lead us in a conversation about synthetic biology, genetic engineering, and how these advancements will affect our lives.
Amy Webb’s and Andrew Hessel’s book The Genesis Machine: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology, acts as our springboard as we dive into this field and how computers are used to rewrite genetic code. This advancement opens a world of opportunities, ranging from growing hamburger meat in a lab to creating vaccines for COVID. While hamburger patties are small in the scheme of life, the technology behind it can lengthen lives, as it will be an essential part in eradicating some of humans’ greatest threats, such as food insecurity, climate change, and disease on a much grander scale. A longer, healthier life is something anyone can get excited about, but genetic engineering comes with risks as large as biological wars and extinctions. Join us as we explore the implications this has on the infrastructure of society (good and bad) and how we may avoid the risks that come with redesigning life.
We encourage attendees to read the book Genesis Machine: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology, as it will foster richer, more in-depth conversations. Reading the book is not a requirement to participate in the event. We look forward to seeing you there!
For our July monthly online discussion, SXSW Co-President & Chief Programming Officer, Hugh Forrest, will lead us in a conversation about synthetic biology, genetic engineering, and how these advancements will affect our lives.
Amy Webb’s and Andrew Hessel’s book The Genesis Machine: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology, acts as our springboard as we dive into this field and how computers are used to rewrite genetic code. This advancement opens a world of opportunities, ranging from growing hamburger meat in a lab to creating vaccines for COVID. While hamburger patties are small in the scheme of life, the technology behind it can lengthen lives, as it will be an essential part in eradicating some of humans’ greatest threats, such as food insecurity, climate change, and disease on a much grander scale. A longer, healthier life is something anyone can get excited about, but genetic engineering comes with risks as large as biological wars and extinctions. Join us as we explore the implications this has on the infrastructure of society (good and bad) and how we may avoid the risks that come with redesigning life.
We encourage attendees to read the book Genesis Machine: Our Quest to Rewrite Life in the Age of Synthetic Biology, as it will foster richer, more in-depth conversations. Reading the book is not a requirement to participate in the event. We look forward to seeing you there!
Registration and Attendance Instructions
All participants must register for this event via Eventbrite.
All participants must register for this event via Eventbrite.
- Once you register for a virtual ticket via Eventbrite, you will receive an email from both the Austin Forum Zoom and Eventbrite. The email from Zoom will contain the direct Zoom Meeting link and a calendar invite. Please save this link and/or add the calendar invite to your calendar to ensure you have easy access to the Zoom link at the start of the event.
- By registering you will also gain access to the Eventbrite Online Event Page, which will be accessible on this page at any time for anyone who is registered. Once registered, you will see an "Access link" button underneath the Location. You must be logged in to Eventbrite to access this button. You can click the "Access link" button and join the Zoom Meeting through the Online Event Page at the event start time.
- You must join the Zoom meeting using the first and last name and email you used to register for your Eventbrite ticket. If your Zoom screen name does not match the name you used to register for your Eventbrite ticket, you will be removed from the Zoom meeting. You can rename yourself in Zoom, if for any reason, your username does not match your Eventbrite ticket when first joining.
- We will not admit anyone into the Zoom meeting who attempts to join 15 minutes past the start time.
About the Moderator
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Hugh Forrest is Chief Programming Officer for SXSW. He oversees content for the SXSW Conference, as well as the Music Festival, Film Festival and EDU aspects of the program. Hugh was named “Austinite of the Year” in 2012 by the Austin Chamber of Commerce and in 2014, he and other SXSW Directors were named Austin Entrepreneurs of the Year by Ernst & Young. He recently received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Kenyon College, his alma mater.
Beyond SXSW, he has served on the National Advisory Board for the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida. He is part of the Board of Directors for Austin Habitat for Humanity and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Austin-based accessibility company Knowbility. Before joining the SXSW team, he founded The Austin Challenger and wrote for several other newspapers and publications. |
