Team:Kyoto/Human Practices/Silver
Silver
Overview
To learn more about microplastic problems, we “talked to experts”. We consulted an expert from a textile company to learn a lot about synthetic fibers and met with people from several companies who are actually working on microplastic issues. Moreover, we talked with many researchers about our project and they gave us a lot of advice on it. These activities made us realize again that microplastic problems are of interest around the world and deserve solving.
We also thought that it was essential for us to tell the general public about synthetic biology and microplastic issues, so we “taught as experts” to primary, junior high, and high school students. It was a great opportunity to know how far they know about the issue. This has strongly motivated us to promote synthetic biology and our project.
Engagement
Interview with an expert
Kyoto University Main Library, June 21st
We interviewed an expert from a famous Japanese textile company "T" to learn more about fibers. He told us that simply trying to stop the use of synthetic fibers would not solve the problem because they are used everywhere in our daily life so heavily that we cannot go without them. Also, replacing them with organic fibers is difficult because food production is often prioritized over organic fibers production. Moreover, synthetic fibers are more durable and easier to recycle than organic ones, so many companies tend to use synthetic fibers. As a result, they support lots of industries today. Learning that it is inevitable to use synthetic fibers, we realized the need to make our way of use more sustainable.
Public Outreach
Kyoto University Clock Tower, September 15th
We held a booth in an event called “Kyoto university Academic day 2019”. This is an event where many researchers gather and tell about their research topics to the visiting public. Along with a poster describing iGEM and the history of our team’s projects, we prepared tools related to synthetic biology such as 3D-printed Encapsulin. Using these items, we told the interesting point of iGEM and synthetic biology. It was surprising that many people showed concern for gene editing only because it sounded dangerous.
Therefore, since we were constructing a biological device, we performed a brief questionnaire to learn how they think about applying devices that collect fibers to washing wastewater. As a result, many people said they want to use it if is actually developed but only when it’s non-GMO. These honest opinions that they do not feel like using GMO products, were valuable as they made us consider the project design, practical application of our project’s hardware and safety.
Interview with an entrepreneur
Toberu, August 30th
We visited Toberu which holds an incubation program to support startup businesses. There, we met people from Fujifilm and NISSHA that are working on microplastic problems focusing on building a new network for reusing plastics. In working on environmental issues, they said delivering profits to all stakeholders is the most difficult point. We learned that in order to deliver our device to the public, we need to cooperate with this kind of group and learn potential marketing strategies for a real-life product.
Education
Educating Primary School Students
Kyoto University Clock Tower, July 15th
We exhibited a booth at “The Session between Elementary, Junior High and High School Students and Researchers Carrying out the Leading-Edge Study”. This event is held by the Osumi Foundation, founded by Nobel Laureate Professor Yoshinori Osumi.
In our booth, we prepared an experiment on the extraction of banana and showed them purified GFP protein under blue light. This was the first time for us as a team to get in touch with the public. Parents seemed to be interested in science, but not many of them know much about biology. Therefore, we will strive to make the field of synthetic biology known and we want them to get interested in it.
In our booth, we prepared an experiment on the extraction of banana and showed them purified GFP protein under blue light. This was the first time for us as a team to get in touch with the public. Parents seemed to be interested in science, but not many of them know much about biology. Therefore, we will strive to make the field of synthetic biology known and we want them to get interested in it.
Educating High School Students
Kyoto University Main Library, August 19th
We gave a lecture to students of Syowa Pharmaceutical High School (Okinawa.Pref). This education aimed to let them know about iGEM and synthetic biology. The lecture began with the basic principles of molecular biology and the procedure of cloning, and in the end, we explained the project of iGEM Kyoto 2019 while also touching on the biosafety. Looking at their reaction when debating about the topics each other, we learned students show great interest in biosafety. Many people tend to think biotechnology as a bad effector for the environment, but here we noticed that this just occurs from a lack of knowledge. To make people understand our work properly, we realized giving throughout information is very important.
History
We listed iGEM teams that have worked on plastic problems by referring to the homepage of the team UMaryland 2018. The list is added with iGEM teams in 2011, 2018 and 2019 with their project summaries (See the list).
We learned through HP that a sustainable approach is needed to solve the microplastic problem. So we contacted teams on this list for 2018 and 2019 and invited them to our presentation. I hope we could held a kind of joint meeting where a lot of the teams involved in microplastics get together at the jamboree to discuss the issue.
We learned through HP that a sustainable approach is needed to solve the microplastic problem. So we contacted teams on this list for 2018 and 2019 and invited them to our presentation. I hope we could held a kind of joint meeting where a lot of the teams involved in microplastics get together at the jamboree to discuss the issue.
