|
|
|
|
|
There’s still time to celebrate DNA Day with PGED! This year, we kicked off a community-wide effort to spark action in support of PGED’s programs. If you didn’t catch it on April 24th, you can read our DNA Day announcement now.
Our team also participated in a DNA Day program with the MIT Museum on April 26th. Gill delivered an “Introduction to Personal Genetics” presentation and facilitated a game session for Share Your Stance on Personal Genetics.
|
|
PGED AT AWESOME CON IN WASHINGTON, DC
|
|
Rob had an amazing time at Awesome Con! “Washington DC’s Comic Con” brings “over 60,000 fans together with their favorite stars from across comics, movies, TV, toys, games, and more”.
Rob shared about our program resources, sparking conversation through our “Share Your Stance” game, and invited attendees to share their views on genetics on our response board.
We hope to return next year!
|
|
CULTURE CHANGE IN GENETICS: A COMMUNITY FORUM
|
|
The Genetics Society of America (GSA), Personal Genetics Education & Dialogue (PGED), and the Reclaiming STEM Institute (RSI) held an interactive community forum for our Culture Change in Genetics project on April 23, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. EDT.
We explored how our genetics community can foster a thriving and inclusive scientific culture, both within the field and with society at large.
This was the first in a series of community forums anticipated to run through 2025 – stay tuned for invitations to future events!
|
|
This month, PGED was busy delivering community programs at libraries across Connecticut, connecting with members of the genetics community through in-person and online events, visiting high schools and science festivals, and exploring new ways to engage in discussions about genetics at a comic con!
Check out where we will be next month:
-
May 1 | Hall Memorial Library in Ellington, CT
-
May 6 | Beekley Community Library in New Hartford, CT
-
May 7, 14, 21, & 28 | Options Employment & Education Services in Hartford, CT
Visit our Events Calendar for more information about our upcoming events.
|
|
|
PGED’s Community Spotlight series showcases some of the remarkable people we have connected with through our mission to expand education and dialogue about genetics, health, and society. You can find all of our current and future Spotlights on our website!
|
|
Vida Mingo is a senior lecturer of biology at Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Genomics Education Partnership (GEP). He is also the Chair of the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Autism Society.
PGED met Vida through our online workshops, and we were blown away by the experiences he shared, bringing our lessons to life with students at Columbia College. In 2024, we had the chance to collaborate with Vida on a workshop for genetics educators at the Allied Genetics Conference.
Read Vida’s Community Spotlight
|
|
Curious to learn more about SYS? Watch Gill’s presentation for Science Communication & Outreach for Public Engagement (SCOPE) about Sparking Conversations with Cards (video) to learn why and how the game was created.
Share Your Stance on Personal Genetics (SYS) is a great way to engage students, community members, family, and friends in discussing how genetics impacts people’s lives. Players discuss their ideas and questions about some of today’s most pressing topics, such as climate change, biohacking, and data privacy.
Access free ‘download & play’ SYS materials.
|
|
|
PERSONAL GENETICS IN THE NEWS
|
|
|
Article: Vertex offers limited access to a cystic fibrosis drug in South Africa — and may undercut a court case (STAT News). “After months of sustained criticism, Vertex Pharmaceuticals reached an agreement to provide a pricey cystic fibrosis treatment in South Africa, but the move prompted a mixed reaction from consumer groups, some of which complained the deal is geared toward people with expensive health coverage.”
Article: Does Testosterone Make Men? (Aeon). “Does biology determine destiny, or is society the dominant cause of masculine and feminine traits? In this spirited exchange, the psychologist Cordelia Fine and the evolutionary biologist Carole Hooven unpack the complex relationship between testosterone and human behaviour.”
Article: Doctors remove pig kidney from an Alabama woman after a record 130 days (STAT News). “The development is a disappointment in the ongoing quest for animal-to-human transplants.”
Article: The Return of the Dire Wolf (Time). “Romulus and Remus are doing what puppies do: chasing, tussling, nipping, nuzzling. But there’s something very un-puppylike about the snowy white 6-month-olds—their size, for starters.”
Article: Should human life be optimized? (The New York Times). “Orchid screens embryos’ DNA for hundreds of conditions, such as retinitis pigmentosa, which can be traced to a single genetic variant. But the company also goes further, offering what is known as polygenic screening, which gives parents what is essentially a risk profile on each embryo’s propensity for conditions such as heart disease, for which the genetic component is far more complex.”
|
|
|
Our team loves creating resources that make an impact in classrooms, community spaces, and beyond. Consider giving a gift to show some love for PGED resources in our Resource Hub.
All donations help keep our resources freely available online. We are grateful for your generosity.
|
|
|
Please note that 15% of donations pays for overhead which allows us to do the work that we do from our home in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School.
|
|
|
WANT TO PLAN AN EVENT TOGETHER? LET’S DO IT!
|
|
|
PGED is always looking for opportunities to engage with new audiences. Would you like to host a group to talk about the implications of personal genetics? What about a professional development workshop for teachers in your district?
We have staff in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Colorado, and Washington, DC – and we are willing to travel when possible. Contact us to find out about scheduling an event in your area!
|
|
Copyright © 2025 PGED, Harvard Medical School. All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
pged@pged.med.harvard.edu
www.pged.org
unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
