CLEAR member Becky Mackelprang teamed up with graphic artist and designer Adam Taylor to create an interactive STEAM (STEM + Art) exhibit in 2019.

Supported by Science In Vivo, Taylor and Mackelprang used Future Speculative Narratives to explore ways that genome editing might someday be used. They hoped to facilitate conversations about the future of the technology so that as it develops, society is prepared to decide how to use it. 

Taylor, with the help of Joe Wilkinson, constructed touch-sensitive boxes upon which Taylor designed and created the interactive exhibit. Mackelprang, with support from CLEAR members, developed the narratives and recorded audio.

How it works:

Participants choose which of the two displays to interact with. They put on a pair of headphones and touch the spot labelled “Spot 1.” The introduction to a story begins to play over the headphones. The user must make decisions, like whether or not to use gene editing technology in a given situation. If choosing to use the technology, they might touch spot 3. If choosing not to use the technology, they touch spot 4.

The narrative continues, and the participant is given more decisions to make. After four or five minutes, the narrative ends.

The exhibit isn’t meant to advocate for or against uses of CRISPR. Rather, it is meant to initiate conversations and bring people into the discussions that we all need to become engaged in.

Contact us if you’re interested in trying out the exhibit!