Summer Institute: Genetics and Social Justice

High school students are among the first generation that will have unprecedented access to information about their DNA. How can we prepare students to make informed choices for themselves and for society? We will explore how genetics intersects with issues of social justice, and as genetic technologies become more widespread, how our society can ensure that education about and access to this information is available to all people.

This interdisciplinary training for teachers will be an introduction to personal genetics and its impact on society. Through workshop-style sessions, we will look at examples of the hopes, realities and controversies in personal genetics. We will start with an overview: Why is genetics getting more personal? How will new technologies impact society?

We create interactive lessons that engage students in discussions about the potential benefits and implications of knowing more about your DNA, as well as ways in which they could be impacted. We will explore the real-world impacts on people and the choices they may face.

Topics include: Introduction to personal genetics, the intersection of athletics and genetics, reproductive genetics, the American eugenics movement, DNA, crime and law enforcement, as well as strategies for facilitating personal and sometimes difficult conversations.

Content Areas: Social Studies, biology, humanities, health, law and government teachers and administrators encouraged to attend (all content teachers welcome); grades 8 – 12, college professors welcome. Click here to see the day-by-day draft agenda.

Stipend: $200 for 3-day attendance, $67/day for one or two days

For more information, email Lauren Tomaselli at ltomaselli@pged.med.harvard.edu, or call (617) 432-1797.

Hotel Information: There are many hotels in the area (note that the workshop will be held at the medical school campus in the Longwood area of Boston, not the Cambridge campus). We have arranged for attendees to receive a discounted rate at some nearby hotels. This list will be updated if additional hotels offer a discounted rate. Hotels in Boston book quickly, especially when the Red Sox are in town, as they are this week. In the past, some participants have stayed in Cambridge, which is about a 20-30 minute bus ride, but in general is not walkable to Longwood. Please contact Lauren if you have questions.

1. The Beechtree Inn – A bed and breakfast in the Coolidge Corner neighborhood of Brookline (20 minute walk). Nice restaurants and shops are nearby. The neighborhood is a mix of residential and business, but the street is fairly quiet.  Rates in July range from $129 for a single twin bedroom with shared bath to $209 for rooms with multiple beds (room 3 with queen and loveseat sofabed and room 8 with two full beds) and private baths en suite. There is a $20/night charge for third guests in rooms 3 and 8, and a fourth guest in room 8. Their policies are detailed on their website: www.thebeechtreeinn.com, and their phone number is (857) 267-1783.

2. Holiday Inn Boston-Brookline – The Holiday Inn is located one mile away from the workshop, in the same areas as the B&B above. They are offering a standard room for $189/night, with a discounted parking rate of $21/night. To book, call (855) 813-9839 and ask for the Harvard Medical School rate. They offer a complimentary shuttle bus service to the medical area from the hotel. See their website here: http://www.ihg.com/holidayinn/hotels/us/en/brookline/bklma/hoteldetail

3. The Longwood Inn – Bed and Breakfast, also in Coolidge Corner. The rates for a standard room are $169 per night. From the owner: The rooms all have private bathrooms, cable TV and telephones with free local calls. There is free Wi-Fi available throughout the building, a shared living room with a deck overlooking a park behind the inn, and a laundry room if you want to wash any clothes. We do not serve breakfast or any other meals, but we have a fully equipped modern kitchen available to you that is shared with other guests if you would like to cook any food. Groceries can be purchased locally. (Note: pgEd will have light breakfast all 3 days, and dinner the first night).

Telephone number is (617) 566-8615; website: http://longwood-inn.com/

(Note there is another hotel called the Inn at Longwood. That hotel is a 5 minute walk but couldn’t offer a discount this year, and the rooms start at $348/night.)