Like tributaries flowing in and out of a river, our human practices efforts fed into our work, inspiring us to branch off in new directions.
As we began our work, we consulted with multiple stakeholders representing four distinct groups: industry, wastewater management, community members, and environmental advocacy groups. The above image illustrates the ways in which their feedback led to the project concept outlined in our project description. We utilized advice from experts in semiconductor manufacturing practices, business leaders, environmental chemists, and even other iGEM teams to craft an implementation plan that would ensure our device could be safely incorporated into not only the semiconductor fabrication process, but potentially other industries, in a safe and responsible fashion.
Our project was inspired by the recent investment in semiconductor manufacturing in our region. To consider where work in this area fit into the bigger picture of industrial waste, we investigated government databases and the regulatory landscape related to our topic. This not only led us to a better understanding of the policies and concerns relating to our issue, it inspired us to reflect on our human practices and move from the lab to the lobby, redirecting our efforts within a Civic Science framework and pursuing a civic engagement campaign. Our conversations with environmentalists like Dr. Don Hughes of the Sierra Club identified a major area of concern that we had not previously considered when designing our project: the involvement of hazardous compounds called PFAS in the semiconductor manufacturing process. We turned to the iGEM community and discovered that the team from UNC Chapel Hill is tackling the issue of PFAS removal from the human body. We connected with them, shared information about our work and learned about their project. We included their strategy as part of our long-term implementation plan. In addition, we shared our work on regulations regarding release of PFAS from manufacturing facilities with this team.
We care about making a positive impact on our iGEM and local communities. During the course of our project, we identified issues with the pH-dependent signals of fluorescent reporter proteins. We conducted a measurement study to better understand how these phenomena impact the estimation of gene expression as pH varies and established recommendations for future teams working with these reporters. Finally, we want to provide positive representation for the field of synthetic biology in our community. Over the course of our project, we participated in multiple outreach activities to promote synthetic biology, engage with our neighbors in a two-way dialogue, and work to advocate for their concerns with the state government.
