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| Flyer describing Pinel's talk |
For my second event, I attended a talk presented by Clemence
Pinel, entitled “The Construction of
the ‘Environment’ in Epigenetics Research: A Social Study.” Pinel is a PhD
student from King’s College London, studying the social science of epigenetics
research. Her research focuses on the production of scientific knowledge, and
explores the cultural, historical, and social contexts surrounding the process.
Prior to attending
Pinel’s talk, I was intrigued by the idea of epigenetics research serving as
the subject of a social study. Usually,
the epigenetics research itself would be the study, so I was curious as to how
one could study a scientific study from a social perspective. As a science
major involved in research, I have attended talks in the past that have been
similar in setting to this one, but wholly contrasting in subject material. Being accustomed to the traditional
presentation of a hypothesis supported by scientific data and analysis of that
data, usually accompanied by numerous graphs, charts, and fluorescent images,
it was interesting to see how a social sciences study and talk were structured.
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| Pinel presenting an interview excerpt during her talk |
Pinel’s talk focused on how the environment of epigenetics
and epigenetics research is conceived and constructed. She first introduced an
ethnographic study she had done involving two labs: a lab studying breast
cancer and another lab performing computational research on the microbiome.
However, instead of focusing on the methods and results of their research,
Pinel explored the physical and conceptual environments of the labs, including
the opinions and motivations of their occupants. Rather than quantitative data,
Pinel supported her points with analysis of relevant literature and excerpts
from interviews she had conducted during her study. Particularly, one central
idea forming the basis of her analysis was Stephen Hilgarten’s conception of
knowledge production within the realm of “knowledge-control regimes”
(Hilgarten). With knowledge as a form of their capital, scientists, in a sense,
act as entrepreneurs in their pursuit of research, fitting with Bruno Latour’s
conception of scientists as “wild capitalists” (Latour). Thus, tools such as
collaborations are utilized by scientists as resources to enhance the
environment of their research in the capitalist world it takes place in
(Pinel). Pinel distilled this conceptualization of scientists and their research
into three contributing factors: profitability, marketability, and versatility
(Pinel).
I found Pinel’s work intriguing since it attempts to view
and understand research from a different perspective. As a researcher myself,
it was interesting to think about these underlying motivations and external
factors surrounding and shaping the actual scientific work that is usually the
center of my focus. Pinel’s work illustrates how an artistic perspective to
science, and even something as niche as epigenetics research, can complement
and enhance one’s understanding and execution of the work. All in all, I gained
a new outlook on science and research, and the role creative analysis can play,
by attending this talk. I would definitely recommend events like this one to my
classmates as a way to broaden their perspectives on what they believe they
already know, or introduce them to new ways of thought altogether!
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| Selfie with Pinel answering audience questions in the background |
References
Hilgartner, Stephen. Reordering
Life: Knowledge and Control in the Genomics Revolution. Cambridge, MA, MIT
Press, 2017.
Latour, Bruno. Science
in Action: How to Follow Scientists and Engineers Through Society.
Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1987.
Pinel, Clemence, Prainsack, Barabara, McKevitt, Christopher.
“Searching for ‘Amazing Data’: Ethnography of an Epigenetic Research Laboratory.”
Epigenomics of Common Diseases Conference 2016, Cambridge, UK, 2016.
