Team:BM-AMU/Public Engagement

Team:BM-AMU- 2019.igem.org

Public Engagement

Education

Target (people)：High school students and their parents.

WHY：

Science outreach activities targeting younger student are necessary to encourage them to gain an interest in science and consider a career in synthetic biology. We regularly contacted with high school students in adjacent communities and many of them asked us a lot of questions about biology and medicine during the graduation season. So we delivered a presentation on medical science and synthetic biology to 17-18-year-old students this summer.

HOW：

We first interviewed students in senior high school to find their common needs for biological knowledge. Then, we carefully designed our presentation so that it could address a number of topics that really interest student. On Jun. 23, the students and parents were invited to visit our university. We showed them around the Anatomy Specimens Gallery, the best place to represent the charm of medical science. Everyone was impressed by a variety of precious specimens of human organ and the magical process of human embryo development. We also gave a popularization about the etiology, prevention and treatment of common diseases (such as diabetes) during the visit. Later, we held a lecture on synthetic biology to introduce the basic definitions, research methods and its applications.

What：

Our presentation provided high school students and parents a new way to understand the mysterious human body. Most of them agreed it was a wonderful opportunity to reacquaint medical science from the perspective of synthetic biology. The students learnt about the importance of the synthetic biology, and became aware of what gene cloning is and how we have used it. We would like to continue influencing more students through our synbio workshop in middle school and high school and achieve higher education goals.

Public Engagement

Target (people)：local residents

WHY：

Based on our investigation, it is evident that the general public knows little about synthetic biology and therefore has a misunderstanding of genetic engineering. Some of them even reject any genetically modified products in the market. It is necessary to bridge the gap between the public and synthetic biology so that they would be able to enjoy the convenience of scientific progress.

HOW：

To make science easy and fun, we reap every piece of the pie through a special way of “play”. We designed a set of eye-catching postcards to vividly illustrate what we did with synthetic biology. We also organized a game using lab equipment. These efforts open a door to the further demonstration of our work.

What：

Some people showed great interest in our iGEM project after experiencing the interactive game. These efforts open a door to promote cutting-edge knowledge to the public. Moreover, it was an opportunity for us to work together as a real team. At the beginning of our iGEM journey, we gained trust and responsibility.