Bioethics Project Meeting Showcases Student Research

The 12 students in the Bioethics Project recently presented their research to date in the Project Meeting, a major milestone. The discussions that followed the Zoom showcase provided students with feedback, food for thought, and direction as they continue to write their scholarly papers. 

The theme this year is “Bioethics for Everyone: Issues in Public Health.” Among the topics are the ethics of using autonomous care robots for the elderly, the ethics of physician refusal of care, the ethics of biohacking in the United States, and an ethical analysis of Australia’s age-based restrictions of social media. 

Mentors from Georgetown joined by Zoom to offer feedback as students refine their analysis and ethical thinking. The community was also invited to watch, and faculty, staff, and students across campus observed the meeting. 

“The Project Meeting, a critical component of the yearlong Bioethics Project, is an incredible day of scholarship, sharing ethical research and posing critical questions about 12 unique bioethical issues,” said Karen Rezach, the Director of the Ethics Institute. “This year’s topics focused on ethical issues of public health, and spanned the human lifecycle from care of the elderly to the development of embryoids. The Project Meeting model is adapted from the method used by the Hastings Center for Bioethics Research, the Bioethics Project’s original collaborator, and is designed to give students the opportunity not only to present their research, but also to be challenged with questions and comments to further their thinking on their topic.”

The students will continue to refine their research, looking ahead to the Bioethics Symposium, on Wednesday, March 25.