Scribner Seminar Program
Course Desription
Discovery of DNA: History, Technology, and Ethics
Instructor(s): Jenner Bonner, Neuroscience
An exploration of the rich and controversial discovery of DNA in the late 20th century. From multiple perspectives, we will examine who contributed to this discovery and whether information was ethically sourced. Biographies, autobiographies, and case studies will guide our explorations of the intersections of history, technology, and ethics. We will relive this amazing scientific discovery in the classroom through DNA experimentation and data analysis, with a culminating museum exhibit assignment. As we confront the uncomfortable history of eugenics, we’ll address how this movement could be emboldened by DNA technology. Finally, using global ancestry as our model, we will examine how DNA technologies influence identity.
Course Offered