Bruciaga AP Research
The Final Chapter: Guanine - Editing Completed
Over the course of the past year I have learned things both about myself and my project that have changed my life. The biggest lesson I took away from this way was integrated into every novel and that is, treat other humans like humans, because they are only human. In our lives we usually tend to get caught up in the chaos and the stress of everything that we have to do. This chaos which takes up so much of our time can lead us to be angry or bitter at those that we perceive are only “getting in our way” when instead by lending a helping hand, you can change a life. This was shown in the novels by no matter how genetically modified a person was, they were still always human. Additionally the novels showed that we cannot sacrifice human nature in the name of perfection or efficiency which is what genetic engineering's goal tends to be when done for enhancement reasons. Yes, there can be a benefit in somatic editing for health in humans but once that becomes germline and widespread it can have catastrophic impacts on individuals and humanity itself. It’s also very important to remember that with anything, there needs to be discussion. Discussion in international summits, in novels, in everyday life, without it we only sacrifice ourselves and a chance to learn. As it has been shown that the novels have consistent themes to each other and the international summits over 90 years of time, this has major implications on humanity and how we will treat genetic engineering moving forward. As with what I will do in the future with new content, I will continue to put topics of importance into the real world and also allow myself more time and dedication towards the novels. Since this was such a grand project, I realized that putting off reading or work would only create chaos in the end, therefore by working on it more diligently, I will set myself up for success.
As for the final presentation I learned that with enough practice and diligent preparation and feedback from others, you can make something not only great, but something that others are impacted by. By connecting work back to human nature and why it matters, the audience will walk away with more than just an interesting presentation. So whenever I seek to make another presentation, research project, or even film the goal will be to make an impact on others to inspire them or make them reflect on something meaningful. I’ll also strive to find topics that have not been researched to add something new to the world of perspectives that we are presented with today.
As a researcher and a human being, I learned that I absolutely LOVE research. Specifically researching humans and how we behave. I’ve learned that I want to understand the human condition and how we can make it better to create a world full of humanity. I also learned my love of reading and going into depth with books through annotations and solving the deeper meaning. The lessons I will carry is that I will always need something stimulating to awaken my imagination. I will also always seek to meet people where they need help and figure out how to help them in those respects. I’ve also learned that as a human being I don’t want to easily give up. At first I was not going to finish the final book but through my teachers I knew that I couldn’t give up. And now I will strive to not give up and give it everything before it’s finished.
I first wanted to thank Mrs. Burnham, in Sophomore year I took public speaking in order to push myself. At the time I was extremely nervous and could barely stand in front of a crowd. But through that class I grew and learned how to make a meaningful speech. Then I moved onto AP Seminar where Mrs. Burnham would continue to push me and help me create speeches that I was passionate about and wanted to learn more about. Her help and belief in my ability has brought me to the day that I presented in this class and how I present in every other class. I also have to thank her for showing me that I am capable of anything I put my mind to. I also wanted to thank Mr. McClurg for always pushing me and inspiring me to do more in my projects and to know that I am capable of completing them. Through his help I have found my passion for storytelling and that’s why I choose this project full of science fiction books. I also wanted to thank my family for putting up with all the reading I did at any party, dinner, and gathering we went to. They were always curious and there for me when I needed them the most throughout this process. I also wanted to thank all of my peers, especially Tvisha, for assisting me through development and through the ups and downs of the research process that we were all a part of during the time. I also wanted to thank everyone who was assuring me throughout this difficult time and stress over the hardships in this project. And finally I wanted to thank Mrs. Dobos and Mr. McBride for all of the mentoring, the help, and the guidance. This project would have never been possible without everything they’ve done. All the work they put in and all the shoves they gave to make this project completed brought me to the success I have today. So thank you.
Abstract:
Genetic engineering has rapidly become a concern in society which has spurred on ethical debates and science fiction novels that reflect the public’s concern. Especially when it comes to human genetic engineering. This research focuses on 8 science fiction novels from 1932-2023 and how the themes and concerns correlate with the issues mentioned in the human genetic engineering summits already conducted. What was found is that there are consistent themes in both the novels and the international summits over “generational genes,” “mad scientist,” “enhanced health,” “caste system,” “eugenics,” “society & individualism,” and “emotion and efficiency.” Where the concerns of the people are reflected in both fiction and actual debated. Since novels are reflections of public concern these issues must be discussed and talked about in international summits as emotion and efficiency is the least discussed theme out of all the others. Overall, future research must discuss on how to mitigate the continue concern of human genetic engineering while taking all the present themes and possible consequences into consideration.
Although this is the final chapter in this research, I will be looking forward to going to Colorado Christian University and studying business management with a minor in film. Additionally, I will continue to make short films over engaging and important topics as well as possibly look into writing a novel. I will also continue to apply these lessons and become a better human through everything I’ve learned. And hopefully I will continue to grow in filmmaking and be able to show major projects as time goes on, yet for now this closes the chapter of human genetic engineering science fiction research.
