Interview with Richard Hayes by Casey Walker

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...