Interview with Richard Hayes by Casey Walker
By Casey Walker,
Wild Duck Review
| 05. 31. 1999
Human Genetic Engineering
Richard Hayes Biography: is a doctoral candidate in Energy and Resources at U.C. Berkeley. His work focuses on long-term scenarios of economic well-being, ecological integrity, social equity and technological change. Rich is director of Genetic Crossroads, an activist organization primarily critiquing human germline engineering and cloning technologies; and is a member of the human genetics committee of the Council for Responsible Genetics. Rich has long been active as an organizer in progressive social and political movements. He served most recently as chair of the Sierra Club's global warming campaign committee, and before that as assistant political director and director of volunteer development on the national Sierra Club staff. Contact information:
rhayes@socrates.berkeley.edu
Casey Walker: Will you describe how you came to realize the significance of developments in human genetic manipulation and why you consider public involvement a matter of urgency?
Rich Hayes: As part of my dissertation studies at Berkeley I wanted to learn about the new human genetic technologies and their social implications. I did course work in genetics and began attending conferences. I was stunned by what I...
Related Articles
By Abby Vesoulis, Mother Jones | 04.18.2026
Two years ago, we devoted an entire issue to the rise of the American oligarchy. Since then, our oligarchic system has become more entrenched and pervasive, revolving around a small crew of tech titans whose quest for wealth and...
By Miguel Muñoz, Cadena SER [cites Marcy Darnovsky] | 08.04.2026
"Para ellos, una familia numerosa no solo es una preferencia personal, sino que es una obligación. Creen que tener tantos hijos como sea posible es necesario para evitar un futuro apocalíptico", aseguraba Xavier Orri, periodista y cofundador de Página Internacional...
By Ryan Cross, Endpoints News | 03.24.2026
Cathy Tie has an audacity more typical of a tech startup founder than a biotech executive. She dropped out of college to start a genetic screening company and later founded a telemedicine startup. The 29-year-old has been on two Forbes...
By Alex Polyakov, The Conversation | 02.09.2026
Prospective parents are being marketed genetic tests that claim to predict which IVF embryo will grow into the tallest, smartest or healthiest child.
But these tests cannot deliver what they promise. The benefits are likely minimal, while the risks to...