January 2005
ASU students host first annual Western Regional Bioethics Conference
Conference to include experts and undergraduates from across the United States
(Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ)- Arizona State University students have organized the first annual Western Regional Bioethics Conference to be held on February 25 and 26, 2005 at ASU's Tempe Campus. The conference aims to both broaden perceptions of bioethics and promote a more reflective approach to highly-charged issues such as in-vitro fertilization, cloning, and the use of stem cells.
Conference members will attend panel discussions featuring cross-disciplinary experts from across the nation. Then they will participate in smaller interactive sessions where they can discuss their opinions with other conference members, making the conference a more informative and personal experience.
Dr. Joan McGregor, Director of the ASU Bioethics Program says, "Our undergraduate student organizers with the help of some faculty have been hard at work for over a year to put this conference together. The work the students have done is truly amazing. They are organizing a first-rate bioethics conference."
Due to the organizers' efforts and the generous support of numerous sponsors, undergraduates from across the western United States will have a unique opportunity to exchange ideas with experts from all over the country. Senior Ryan Childers, President of the ASU Bioethics Club, describes the conference as "an unrivaled opportunity for students to examine major issues in bioethics and to participate in the evolving academic dialogue that addresses these issues."
Co-hosted by the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics, the ASU Bioethics Program and the Center for Biology & Society, the conference is dedicated to fostering discussion and debate of the most pressing social and ethical issues in the biosciences and developing biotechnology. These issues include the growing trend of genetically modifying organisms, the ethical debate surrounding embryos, the challenges and policies in minority health care, and the limits and potential of nanotechnology. A special public lecture on the evening of the 25th will feature a provocative discussion of the ethics of Genetic Modification with panelists to include the renowned Dr. Lee Silver of Princeton University and Dr. Adrienne Asch of Wellesley College.
Registration is free for all undergraduates from Arizona academic institutions and they are encouraged to register quickly to secure a place on the growing list of attendees. For more information about this exciting opportunity and the latest list of speakers and registration details, please visit the conference website at http://lifesciences.asu.edu/bioethics/wrbc.