Team:XHD-WS-Wuhan-A/Public Engagement
Education
Education and Public Engagement
The results of social surveys show that most of the public citizens are seriously lacking the knowledge of synthetic biology, the understanding of mircoRNA, and the proper views about the detection of gastric cancer. To change the situation, we design a public engagement aim at the general public, students, and other groups of people. We held many popular science activities to publicize our projects and introduce related knowledge of synthetic biology and genetic engineering in the Hangzhou Museum of Low Carbon Science and Technology, Wuhan Britain-China School. By organizing games like extracting banana DNA, making cell models with rubber mud, and project demonstrations, we successfully exhibit our programs, help people understand the gastric cancer, and spread the information about synthetic biology. Furthermore, we have created a public account on a popular social media platform in China called Wechat to upload popular science articles of synthetic biology and our project research progress. These activities have given the public a better understanding of our project and the knowledge of synthetic biology, and eventually received a very positive response.
Public engagement at Hangzhou Low Carbon Science and Technology Museum
We have organized a public propaganda campaign with other 5 iGEM teams at Hangzhou Low Carbon Science and Technology Museum on 4th, August. Our job was simply divided into two parts toward adults and children respectively. The whole activity was very successful.
Picture2: The photo of four members from XHD-Wuhan-A attending the Hangzhou meetup
We sent questionnaires to adults and briefly explained synthetic biology and gastric cancer so that they have acquired basic knowledge of it, including the importance of stomach cancer examinations. They are also highly interested in synthetic biology.
Picture3: Our team members are introducing the activities in the public engagement
For children, we have designed and conducted several games with three other teams to make children understand basic synthetic biological knowledge. For example, children could understand the structure and function of DNA by participating in banana DNA extraction which we organized with one other team. They participated positively.
Photo4/5: our team members are helping other groups carry out their activities
Propaganda at Wuhan Britain-China School
Three iGEM teams including XHD-WS-Wuhan-B, Worldshaper-Wuhan, and we, XHD-WS-Wuhan-A have organized a public propaganda at Wuhan Britain-China School.
Photo6/7: one of our team members is presenting our gene pathway design to the audience
We have briefly explained synthetic biology and iGEM firstly. Then we introduced our projects. The students have acquired a lot of knowledge about iGEM and synthetic biology. Through this propaganda, we have made them know that synthetic biology was not only in the laboratory and far away from us. It was closely linked to our life and could be used to solve many problems in our life, which was we are doing. Even if we are high school students, we can study and use the knowledge of synthetic biology. There are platforms like iGEM, offering the chances for us. Then, by introducing our program contents, we show them a way to use synthetic biology to solve some problems happened in society. We believe this would not only present our idea and perspective, but also remind them that knowledge should be used in benefiting mankind. Though this is a small-scale propaganda, we believe we have held a meaningful education activity.
Propaganda online
To enhance public understanding of synthetic biology and gastric cancer, we have created a public account on Wechat and uploaded popular science articles and our project research progress records.
We uploaded 3 articles in our public account in July and August which contained:
1. Popularization of synthetic biology, gastric cancer, and iGEM;
2. Records of propaganda with other teams ;
3. Self-introduction
(The QR code of our Wechat Official Account along with our team logo)
Address
XHD-WS-Wuhan-A
Wuhan High School
No.538,Gongxiu Road,Xiaoshan District,
Wuhan,Hubei Province,China