Team:UFRGS Brazil/Public Engagement

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iGEM UFRGS
Public engagement and Education

Spreading and Learning

In the last year, our group became very excited about one idea: how synthetic biology could change the lives of our community? From the start, our goal was to impact people's lives and the way they perceive the benefits of science for society. But how could a bunch of college students achieve this? We didn't know yet. We had to put science aside and start from scratch, learning how to approach people, institutions, companies and the press - newspapers, and radio stations.

One of the best ways to impact our community is through education. This led us from middle school to college, teaching young kids to adults about the beauty of this science and its real-world applications. Aside from lectures, we reached the press so we could spread our knowledge about synbio and its wonders to the general public.

Also, during the development of our human practices, we noticed that people still have lots of concern when the subject is OGMs. This made us think about the importance of spreading the synthetic biology word to the community, so we intensified our engagement with them through more speeches and sharing more of our daily in lab on our social media. You can see more pictures of our work in the group's gallery.

Science Fair, Military School of Porto Alegre.
August 3, 2019

Aiming to disseminate science and synthetic biology in schools, on August 3rd, 2019 two members of our team, Luiza Pereira and Daniel Silva, participated in the science fair of the military school of Porto Alegre. Our team had space for the GlyFloat project exhibition which, throughout a morning full of interest and outreach, was presented to the college students and their families, along with teachings on synthetic biology, biotechnology and environmental preservation. In all hundreds of people attended the most diverse stands of the fair.

Our team

Lecture in High School, Dom Antônio Reis
State School of Faxinal do Soturno. July 19, 2019

Maybe because we study in a capital city, we often forget the importance of spreading science everywhere, from the capital to the interior, from school to university. Thus, on July 19th, 2019, member Luiza Pereira gave a lecture to high school students at Dom Antônio Reis State School of Faxinal do Soturno, in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul. In the lecture in question, the students were introduced to synthetic biology and how the biological systems work, with didactic and illustrative examples. They also learned about iGEM and its importance for the world scientific and lay community. Finally, the GlyFloat project was introduced to the students, explaining its importance in the global scenario of pesticide abuse and the machinery behind it.

Lecture in High School

Lecture in Academic Week of the Food
Engineering, UFRGS.July 11, 2019

During the execution of our project, we realized that we were giving due importance to the dissemination of the project and science outside the university and had not realized how vast and diverse the students at our own university are. Therefore, in order to expand the scientific horizons of students from other courses at our university, on July 11th, 2019, members Heloisa Oss Boll and Vitória Xavier were responsible for conducting the lecture “Food Technology by Another Bias : Impacts of Synthetic Biology” during the Academic Week of the Food Engineering course. Between introductions on synthetic biology, biotechnology and genetic engineering, many basic concerts for us have been elucidated, such as DNA, RNA, proteins, among others. Issues such as the emerging and important connections between synthetic biology and food engineering were also raised. The dissemination of iGEM, the competition and the project was also the topic of the lecture, showing examples of food engineering projects developed at iGEM and highlighting the alarming dangers of glyphosate in rivers and lakes and how it arrives in these locations. Questions regarding biosafety and large-scale biotechnological production methods were raised and helped enrich the lecture

Members responsible for the lecture

Pint of Science, Divina Comédia.
May 22, 2019

On May 22nd, 2019, our team was honored to be invited to participate in the classic Pint of Science event, which takes place annually around the world and aims to bring science closer to people by taking them to the bar. Members Deborah da Cruz Schafhauser and João Pedro Wagner were responsible for discussing, at a bar table, the subject “Synthetic Biology and Water Quality”, at the bar The Divine Comedy. The table was also formed by Professor Alexandre Arenzon, who works in the UFRGS ecology department with aquatic ecosystems. During the conversation, concepts related to water quality, such as waste regulation, chemical accumulation and their consequences for the lives present in the aquatic environment were discussed. Different didactics were used by our members to capture the attention of the audience sitting at the bar, talking about the evolution of genetic engineering and the birth of synthetic biology, the difficulties in applying synthetic biology products in the market, as well as their relationship with the interface between companies and universities in Brazil. The event had a great participation of the public speaking at the bar and the discussions were useful for the listeners and table participants.

Members responsible for the discussion

Lecture for post-graduate in Agribusiness
students, UFRGS.April 17, 2019

Following the idea of disseminating in different horizons of our university, on April 17th, 2019, members Luís Dias and Solon da Rosa spoke for post-graduate in Agribusiness students at UFRGS. The focus of talk was to give examples of how synthetic biology can be applied to agronomic sciences, especially to new technologies and products that could change the agribusiness scenario. Also, we were asked to introduce some techniques that are common when working in synthetic biology process. The techniques explored were cell culturing as the main source of biologic material and DNA altering methods, as TALEN, Zinc Fingers and CRISPR. Plus, our public were very heterogeneous in bachelors courses, we centered our talk on basics and simple theories in biology. At the end we presented our project (Glyfloat), our goal as competing in IGEM and it could be applied in the field. The agribusiness students were the main public, the possibility of our work becoming a real product were explored, as well as it could be changed and related to other agronomic fields and problems.

Post-graduates and speakers

MAGIS Innovation, Anchieta School.
June 26 and 27, 2019

On June 26th and 27th, 2019, four members of our team, Mariana Hentz, Augusto Penteriche, Angelo Angonezi and Luis Dias, participated in the event MAGIS Innovation at Anchieta School of Porto Alegre. The idea of the event was short lectures of up to 15 minutes, inspired by the famous TedTalks to bring inspiration to the students. Members had to find a simple and interesting way to teach some synthetic biology to lay people and younger people. We believe we have captivated many hearts through science and biotechnology. Overall, the project was explained to the students, but in this case it was not the big focus. IGEM has served as a banner of inspiration, showing that we are all students and that everyone can do great things, such as participating in the world's largest synthetic biology competition.

Two members on the speak

Lecture in High School, João Antônio Satte public
School of Porto Alegre.September 10, 2019

Talking to elementary school students about synthetic biology could be a challenge, but these students showed much interest by biology and genetics! On September 10th, our team member Angelo Luiz Angonezi talked to a group of students from a municipal elementary school in Porto Alegre, in Rio Grande do Sul state. They discussed about DNA, Genetic Engineering and Synthetic Biology in a very interactive way. Once we showed examples of other iGEM projects, and after our project was explained to the students, many expressed enthusiasm towards the possibilities that can be achieved with science and Synthetic Biology!

Our team member

Project scope

Band RS

News

Students seek resources to participate in competition. https://bit.ly/2k06eE2

Record News

News

Filter capable of degrading pesticides in water! https://bit.ly/2kziNXb

Zero Hora

News

UFRGS students develop technology to end pesticide in rivers and seas.https://bit.ly/2kniPSc

G1

News

UFRGS students create project to eliminate pesticides from water. https://glo.bo/2Ckm3eM

Jornal Integração

News

Faxinal do Soturno student develops biofilter to clean rivers. https://bit.ly/2m27KWV

Super Interessante

News

Brazilians fight pesticides in rivers with bacteria that “eat poison” https://bit.ly/2lWRWEO

UFRGS Ciência

News

With project to eliminate pesticides from water, students seek funding to participate in the world's largest synthetic biology competition. https://bit.ly/2U0XFpq

Sul 21

News

UFRGS students create solution for glyphosate contamination in water and seek project funding. https://bit.ly/2ZppfQi

Tua Radio Cacique

News

Lagoense participates in UFRGS project that seeks to end pesticides in rivers and seas. https://bit.ly/2k7YxMg

Estação FM

News

UFRGS students seek to participate in US competition. https://bit.ly/2knl5sF

Radio Difusora

News

Ufrgs student project aims to help clean up river pesticides. https://bit.ly/2m5ELBP

Eureka Brasil

News

Eureka Interview: Brazilians will bring a glyphosate filter to the US. https://bit.ly/2lEH6Dl

Reporter Brasil

News

Is it possible to eliminate pesticide residues from water and food? https://bit.ly/2kkEydr

Outras Palavras

News

To escape a pesticide-based. https://bit.ly/2m4LDPL

Profissão Biotec

News

IGEM 2019 Brazilian Teams: “iGEM UFRGS Brazil - Glyfloat” https://bit.ly/2knlRG5

Rádio Ibirubá

News

Group coordinated by ibirubense creates bacteria that "eats" pesticide https://bit.ly/2m3KiZt https://bit.ly/2kzGsGX

Oul Notícias

News

Students create technique that "eats" pesticide most used in Brazil ... https://bit.ly/2knlRG5

Organic News Brasil

News

UFRGS develops technique for cleaning glyphosate in rivers https://bit.ly/2lYrFGb

Jornal Seminário

News

Barbosense integrates project against pesticides that can be selected for competition in the USA. https://bit.ly/2kxOgZV

Caarapó Online

News

UFRGS students create project to eliminate pesticides from water. https://bit.ly/2lIfg98

Agrolink

News

Filter can degrade glyphosate in rivers and lakes. https://bit.ly/2kxOgZV

Sou Ecológico Magazine

News

Students seek funding for project that reduces pesticide contamination. https://bit.ly/2lXExwe

Leouve

News

Barbosense integrates UFRGS project that can participate in contest in the USA. https://bit.ly/2lXEznQ

UFRGS Propesq

News

With project to eliminate pesticides from water, students seek funding to participate in the world's largest synthetic biology competition. https://bit.ly/2m0X9LS

Pint of Science

News

Synthetic biology and water quality. https://bit.ly/2kxQMze

Jornal Guaíba

News

Ufrgs Students Seek Support to Participate in US Competition After Designing Project to Eliminate Pesticide from Water. https://bit.ly/2m0X9LS

Anchieta Hgh School

News

https://bit.ly/2koaoGe

Portal Adeso

News

Barbosense integrates UFRGS project that can participate in contest in the USA. https://bit.ly/2kxORe7

TV Oul

News

Students seek resources to participate in competition. https://bit.ly/2koar4S

CEVS Boletim

News

UFRGS Students develop technology to eliminate Glyphosate from rivers and sea. https://bit.ly/2k5CTrU

Sintrafesc

News

It is possible to eliminate pesticide residues from water and food. https://bit.ly/2m4AGO7

Ihu Unisinos

News

It is possible to eliminate pesticide residues from water and food. https://bit.ly/2m6E4In

Por Trás do Alimento

News

It is possible to eliminate pesticide residues from water and food? https://bit.ly/32ZnB9O

Galileu

News

It is possible to eliminate pesticide residues from water and food? https://glo.bo/2WzWa70

Carta Capital Envolverde

News

It is possible to eliminate pesticide residues from water and food? https://bit.ly/2k8MPB2

Ambiente Legal

News

It is possible to eliminate pesticide residues from water and food? https://bit.ly/2lDs6pi

Primeira Hora SC

News

It is possible to eliminate pesticide residues from water and food? https://bit.ly/2m4B1QT

Vila de Utopia

News

But, after all, is it possible to eliminate pesticide residues from water and food? https://bit.ly/2lBHGBZ

Prosa, Verso e Arte Mag.

News

UFRGS students develop technology to end pesticide in rivers and seas. https://bit.ly/2k8MQVC

Chico Terra

News

It is possible to eliminate pesticide residues from water and food? https://bit.ly/2lYt7bB

Rastro Rural

News

Brazilians fight pesticides in rivers with bacteria that “eat poison”. https://bit.ly/2lFvuzZ

Microbiologia IFRJ Blog

News

Glyphosate Degradation by E. Coli. https://bit.ly/2lFvxvF

Folha Verde News

News

New technology for waste disposal is urgent because increase pollution of streams, rivers, lakes and sea in the country. https://bit.ly/2lEEOEp

Microbiologia IFRJ Blog

News

Interview on radio Serro azul on Serro Largo Glyfloat was news, but be the first team in the south of Brazil doing a project for IGEM was a challenge, in the meantime, the most answered question was “What is synthetic biology?”, while we have to convince our community to donate to our crowdfunding. Pass that, most of the people who listened about us thought that it was worth it to follow us in our goals, for that we do continue feedback of the project via personal emails and in ours social media. For them, we are very grateful.

Sponsors

La Naturelle
Laura Grisci
Fermmento Labs
Hidrosul
Fornarolli
Fornarolli