Life as engineerable material: an ethnographic study of synthetic biology

Synthetic biology is an emerging hybrid discipline that aims to apply an engineering approach to biology, in order to render biology controllable, predictable, and ultimately engineerable. Herein I explore synthetic biology as a project to control life at the molecular level through the lens of an ethnographic study of a newly formed academic synthetic biology research centre. Within this overarching narrative, I tease out two main stories regarding the field. First, I explore the topic of disciplinarity, investigating the work being done to establish synthetic biology as a hybrid discipline. Drawing on the ideas of repertoire, doability, and epistemic cultures, I explore the conflicts and compromises inherent in the attempt to form a hybrid discipline out of biology and engineering. I describe the strategies being employed to bridge this epistemic cultural divide, and the challenges in doing so. Second, I explore the work being done to bring the goals of the discipline to fruition. Synthetic biology’s dream of rendering biology engineerable is rooted in a reductionistic vision of life. This approach to biology raises both practical and conceptual issues. Thus, in exploring this story I address both the practical day-to-day work of synthetic biologists attempting to apply an engineering approach to biology, and the challenges these synthetic biologists face in conceptualising the products of that work. Third, I draw these stories together and show that synthetic biology is one among many disciplines emerging at the intersection of biology and engineering. I suggest that this fertile, if complicated, disciplinary crossroads may be the site of a conceptual shift in the way we ‘do’ and think about biology and ultimately, life

The science-society relationship in Aotearoa: practicing responsible innovation in the New Zealand research and innovation system

Reports on Aotearoa New Zealand’s research, science, and innovation (RSI) system suggest the sector could improve its social responsibility and create more social value. However, researchers and innovators within the sector find this challenging. Through qualitative interviews and a national survey of RSI system participants, this study explores the current perceptions, practices enacted, and support given around responsible research and innovation practices. Findings indicate that researchers and innovators have diverse understandings of what responsible research and innovation entails, viewing anticipation and reflexivity-aligned practices as the most important aspects of responsible research and innovation. Participants feel most supported by research organisations and funding bodies to enact such aspects of responsible practice. However, they perceive a discrepancy, across all dimensions explored, between what researchers and innovators should do, and what they actually do in terms of enacting responsible practices. Thus, significant room for improvement is identified, particularly regarding practices that align with researchers’ and innovators’ obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and requirements under Vision Mātauranga

What’s that bug? Community participation in biosecurity in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand

Biosecurity is essential to protect against the negative effects of non-native invasive species. As part of the government’s ‘Biosecurity 2025’ Initiative to enlist all New Zealanders as biosecurity risk managers, Tauranga Moana has been named the ‘biosecurity capital’ of New Zealand. The initiative will involve large-scale citizen science, for reporting and management of pest and disease threats. In this context we measured baseline awareness, perceptions and behaviour around biosecurity among two key groups of respondents, the local community at Mount Maunganui (surrounding Tauranga’s port) and school children. An online survey was completed by 324 members of the local community, while 120 school children completed a survey about their biosecurity knowledge and behaviours after using a biosecurity education kit. Results indicate that while both groups report a relatively high level of understanding about the concept of biosecurity, and acknowledge it as extremely important, knowledge of current pest threats and correct biosecurity behaviours could be improved. Mount Maunganui community members rate their understanding of biosecurity as better than the average New Zealander, but are less likely to have taken regular biosecurity action in the past year. For school children, improved biosecurity efforts could be evidenced by more active pest monitoring, and greater discussion about biosecurity outside of school (e.g. with their family at home). Key enablers for achieving more impactful citizen science for biosecurity among these groups are targeted education, and practical advice about what they can do to help

Insects as mini-livestock: New Zealand’s public attitudes toward consuming insects

ABSTRACTInsects are a relatively sustainable food source with a high protein content, and an alternative food option for the growing global population. However, while entomophagy (eating insects) is a growing food trend on the global stage, very few studies focus on New Zealanders’ perceptions of it. This research aims to better understand the New Zealand publics’ attitudes to the consumption of insects, by exploring willingness to eat insects, the preferred processing methods for consumption, and barriers to adopting insects into participants’ diets. An online survey was conducted via SurveyMonkey in 2019 recruiting via social media platforms. Within the sample (n = 1322), male participants were more likely to express a willingness to consume insects, as were younger participants (<56 years) and those who consume meat. Over sixty percent of participants responded that they would eat insects, and possibly regularly, if in an acceptable form such as a capsule for improved health. Participants were aware of the environmental benefits of eating insects over other protein sources but less aware or certain of the potential health benefits. New Zealand may be a candidate for well-marketed products containing insects, most likely in the form of a powder to add to existing foods or health products

Trust in agri-food value chains: a systematic review

Agri-food value chains are complex systems comprising of a network of interlinked and interdependent actors. To foster collaboration between these actors, trust between actors and in value chains is considered to be key. Despite growing scholarly attention an overview of to what extent and how trust is the role of trust in agri-food value chains is lacking. Employing a systematic review, this paper aims to explore the literature on trust in agri-food value chains to provide a solid knowledge basis for future studies into more specific aspects of trust. For our results, 139 papers were analysed published between 2001 and 2020. Studies were mainly conducted in Africa and Europe focussing on meat and vegetable chains. The results show a growing but dispersed field as studies hold a great conceptual diversity and theory building within the field of agri-food value chains is lacking. Based on our analysis we call for developing a coherent body of knowledge exploring the role of trust in agri-food value chains by: (1) employing a dynamic perspective on trust; (2) focussing on trust in agri-food value chain systems; and (3) focussing on the increasing importance of digitalisation for trust relations

Trust in agri-food value chains: a systematic review

Agri-food value chains are complex systems comprising of a network of interlinked and interdependent actors. To foster collaboration between these actors, trust between actors and in value chains is considered to be key. Despite growing scholarly attention an overview of to what extent and how trust is the role of trust in agri-food value chains is lacking. Employing a systematic review, this paper aims to explore the literature on trust in agri-food value chains to provide a solid knowledge basis for future studies into more specific aspects of trust. For our results, 139 papers were analysed published between 2001 and 2020. Studies were mainly conducted in Africa and Europe focussing on meat and vegetable chains. The results show a growing but dispersed field as studies hold a great conceptual diversity and theory building within the field of agri-food value chains is lacking. Based on our analysis we call for developing a coherent body of knowledge exploring the role of trust in agri-food value chains by: (1) employing a dynamic perspective on trust; (2) focussing on trust in agri-food value chain systems; and (3) focussing on the increasing importance of digitalisation for trust relations

Healing fragmentation of forest biosecurity networks: A conceptual and reflexive mapping analysis of postcolonial relations that matter in Aotearoa|New Zealand and Cymru|Wales

Scientific biosecurity has become an important approach for managing the threats to Kauri trees and plant management in Aotearoa|New Zealand and Cymru|Wales, more generally. However, the conceptual apparatus of biosecurity does not make the relations and overlaps between people, knowledges or values visible in practice. This is particularly so for Indigenous Māori knowledge and ontologies, which are not yet fully integrated into this field. This paper has two aims. The first is to understand how the fragmentation of the biosecurity system concerning plant pathogens is reproducing colonial relations, while shaping biosecurity practices in new ways. The second is to use postcoloniality theory as an analytic tool to understand the role that local and Indigenous knowledge and ontologies play in the biosecurity system more globally. This lens is specifically turned on the social scientific understandings of biosecurity and used to analyse the relationships of others involved in the generation and use of biosecurity science for the protection of trees in Aotearoa|New Zealand and Cymru|Wales, analysing through the lens of social science, our interviews, and focus groups with them. Two places and ways of understanding postcoloniality are deliberately evoked so that postcolonial relations become the dominant lens for understanding how society and the environment have become dis/entangled in the biosecurity system in various ways. Some consistent clusters of biosecurity fragmentation can be identified along with the emergence of specific social and environmental relations that underpin shared aspects of care with/for trees and ecosystem conservation. This result demonstrates the impact that fragmentation could have on building a relational structure and ethics of biosecurity, linking communities, geographies, policies and values. Our conclusions echo the range of questions and relations at stake resulting from this fragmentation of biosecurity and show the role(s) that social scientists and Pākehā scientists can have in opening spaces for new postcolonial biosecurity practices to emerge

Positioning research to improve tree-biosecurity relations

Management of biosecurity threats to forests and indigenous trees needs to address the legacy of colonising practices that have prohibited diverse knowledges from being included. This work is urgent and challenging in the context of mobile tree pathogens, investment in climate mitigation through tree planting and greater legal recognition of Indigenous rights and those of trees. While a transition towards shared, collective responsibility for trees and treescapes is compelling, its conceptualisation in practice remains underdeveloped. This is particularly the case when considering tree-biosecurity relations. This paper shows the positioning work a team of social scientists undertook to enable polyvocal imagining of biosecurity possibilities, which trees so urgently need. Situated in Aotearoa|New Zealand and Cymru|Wales, this team of social scientists engaged with colonising forces (of which social science is also a part) to position research for biosecurity and with trees. Presented here are their reflections informed by literature and document reviews as well as research team discussions. Released somewhat from the constraints of displaced ways of knowing human dimensions of trees by means of connecting with Indigenous (especially Māori) scholarship, the research project became more capable of connecting other relations too, between people and nature, knowledge and action, science and society, research and management. The relational approach developed widens the potential for tree-human relations and supports the creation of biosecurity knowledge, systems and practices, not through one but multiple worldviews

Emerging advances in biosecurity to underpin human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health

Summary: One Biosecurity is an interdisciplinary approach to policy and research that builds on the interconnections between human, animal, plant, and ecosystem health to effectively prevent and mitigate the impacts of invasive alien species. To support this approach requires that key cross-sectoral research innovations be identified and prioritized. Following an interdisciplinary horizon scan for emerging research that underpins One Biosecurity, four major interlinked advances were identified: implementation of new surveillance technologies adopting state-of-the-art sensors connected to the Internet of Things, deployable handheld molecular and genomic tracing tools, the incorporation of wellbeing and diverse human values into biosecurity decision-making, and sophisticated socio-environmental models and data capture. The relevance and applicability of these innovations to address threats from pathogens, pests, and weeds in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems emphasize the opportunity to build critical mass around interdisciplinary teams at a global scale that can rapidly advance science solutions targeting biosecurity threats