Bioethics Society at UNC

History of the Role

In 2022 the UNC Center for Bioethics is proud to launch a new ambassadorship between the Center and the undergraduate students of UNC-Chapel Hill. The new Bioethics Student Liaison position has been created to make the student population more aware of the work of the Center and to offer opportunities to explore the complex bioethical questions of today. The Bioethics Student Liaison will be the direct link between the Center for Bioethics and the UNC Bioethics Society, a student organization sponsored by the UNC Parr Center for Ethics. “We have a great relationship with the Parr Center and look forward to engaging with UNC undergraduates in more ways through this liaison with its bioethics student group,” said Arlene Davis, Center Director. “Sarah Stroud, Parr Center Director, and I see this role as an important link between our communities for both discussion of issues and exposure to the work of bioethics.” The Center’s first Student Liaison was Akankshya Jena, now a UNC School of Medicine student.

The Bioethics Society of UNC provides a space for students to consider complex bioethics issues and engage in conversations about how to better improve the field of bioethics and medical humanities. From gene editing to patient autonomy, students have the chance to learn about a variety of topics that will affect their future careers. They will be able to hear from renowned bioethics professors about cutting-edge research. In addition, members have the chance to problem-solve through medical cases and research different ethical topics that are pressing.