ASU undergraduates are leading the first Western Regional Bioethics Conference this month, which will consider topics ranging from stem cell research to genetically engineering a perfect child.
Biology and society senior Brenda Flores helped to come up with the idea after attending the National Undergraduate Bioethics Conference in Michigan. She and other students were excited to bring that level of discussion to Arizona, Flores said.
"A lot of people want to find out more about these issues," Flores said. "This is a forum where students can discuss and ask questions and then they can decide what's right or wrong."
The conference is free and will be held Feb. 25 and 26 in the Old Main and Life Sciences buildings.
The conference will feature speakers who will lecture about the moral, social and political consequences of topics ranging from genetic modification in babies, embryo ethics in stem cell research, end-of-life ethics and how to deal with chronically ill patients, environmental ethics and minority ethics.
Some of the most well-known speakers are Lee Silver from Princeton University, who will be talking about genetic modification of babies and the future of biotechnology in human nature, and Adrienne Asch, who will be speaking about the importance of disability rights.
Though the topics being discussed are controversial, Flores has not seen any complaints about the conference.
"We hope to offer different views and speakers that balance each other out," Flores said. "[We offer] different views so people can make up their minds about these issues."
The conference also includes breakout sessions after the large lectures where students can discuss topics with the speakers and interact on a more intimate level.
Flores said the conference is receiving $21,000 in donations, which will be invested in bringing speakers from around the country.
There will be a lecture open to the public discussing the legal issues of genetically enhancing embryos to create the perfect baby. It will be held Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. in Armstrong Hall and does not require registration for the entire conference.
There are 260 people registered for the conference, said Joan McGregor, director of ASU's Bioethics Program. She expects students from six or seven other states to attend.
Twelve undergraduates studying biology and society will run the conference with help from graduate student volunteers.
Reach the reporter at courtney.bonnell@asu.edu.
ONLINE EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was modified Feb. 17 to indicate that the public lecture will be held on Feb. 25.
