Team:ECUST China/Communication
During the progress of the project, we found that understanding of public is a key link in promoting the implementation. As Oprah Winfrey said “Education is the way to move mountains, to build bridges, to change the world.” To build a bridge between the public and science, we have established a series of interactive platforms for education and communication.
What kind of vast world can the seeds of hope germinate into?
How many eagerness for knowledge can enthusiastic love support?
Dandelions always float everywhere in the wind. We ECUST_China also hope to become a dandelion, floating in the wind, sowing the seeds of knowledge all over the mountains and fields, bringing hope for the future.
In 2021, our team carried out popular science education activities in many parts of the country, from south to north, from east to west, including Zhejiang, Shaanxi, Shanghai, Xinjiang and other places, covering from primary and junior high schools to senior high schools and universities. Due to the epidemic, we adopt a combination of online and offline methods and use rich forms of activities. We have brought the popularization of synthetic biology and related knowledge of our project through some meaningful activities, hoping that our next generation can have the opportunity to contact a different world of synthetic biology and create a new future!
In order to educate primary school students in a more interesting and understandable way, we have designed a series of games. For example, after explained the relevant structure of yeast, we let children creatively draw their imagination of yeast and its structure on the blackboard. In order to better understand the principle of complementary pairing of bases, we designed a small game where different people represent different bases(A/T/C/G) and only the corresponding bases(Pair A and T/Pair C and G) can be combined and hugged together. Whoever is not paired or paired wrongly would be eliminated. In the process, we have cultivated children's enthusiasm and interest in biology, and have received praise from local school.
Which dominates the world between ethics and science and technology?
Is genetically modified food
good or bad for human beings?
The birth of genetically modified organisms and genetically modified foods marks the development of biotechnology to a new level, but will genetically modified organisms and genetically modified foods created by human beings harm the entire biosphere, including human beings themselves? These issues have caused a big debate around the world. We ECUST_China held a debate on the safety of genetically modified organisms and genetically modified foods.
Positive view: Genetically modified organisms and genetically modified food are the products of human targeted modified organisms and an important milestone in the development of cutting-edge fields of biotechnology, giving human beings the ability to modify and create organisms that only nature has. Its security is reliable and should be vigorously promoted.
The opposite point of view: Although genetically modified organisms and genetically modified food are symbols of the progress of biotechnology, they do not mark that human beings have the right to manipulate life on earth according to their own will. Their safety is only theoretical, but there are many problems in practice. There have been many reports that genetically modified organisms and genetically modified food have brought tragedy to human beings. Their safety is questionable and should not be vigorously promoted.
Through debate and communication, we realize that any application of biotechnology requires us to maintain a cautious attitude. We should not only recognize its advantages, but also identify potential dangers and pay attention to biosafety so that synthetic biology can better benefit mankind.
In the autumn semester of 2021, when freshmen first entered school，our ECUST_China held an in-depth communication with undergraduates who were interested in synthetic biology. We introduced the development process and wide application of synthetic biology. We also introduced the history of the iGEM competition and invited predecessors who participated in iGEM before to share their experiences, so that everyone could have a clearer understanding of iGEM.
We also established a community called ECUST-Lab in 2017. In order to better cultivate the next generation, we will hold regular lectures and carry out various meaningful activities to collide ideas and exchange relevant content of synthetic biology.
iGEM has gone through its fourth year at East China University of Technology. In order to encourage more college students to join the team of synthetic biology, we jointly set up a course with teachers for all students.——Synthetic Biology Open Class. We have invited teachers in relevant fields to explain special courses on synthetic biology to students weekly. From the concept of synthetic biology to the development of synthetic biology, as well as the research and application of synthetic biology, so that students in different majors can have a deeper understanding of synthetic biology and how to give full play to their advantages in it. In addition to classroom explanations, we also let students cooperate to design projects independently, so that theory and practice can be combined to better exercise everyone's scientific research ability.
In China, obtaining information through videos and articles on social platforms has become a more and more mainstream way. In addition, because of the outbreak, online communication platform is also a good way to promote at home and abroad.
WeChat official account is an important platform for receiving messages in China . Our official account has published popular science knowledge and update the latest situation of our project in real time to help people better enter synthetic biology and better understand our project. In addition, we also have bilibili, Instagram, Facebook and other platform accounts to publish relevant information to expand our influence.The total number of views on each platform is nearly 10000 times.
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+86 15821261548
IGEM_ECUST@outlook.com
ID:IGEM_ECUST
ECUST_China
East China University of Science and Technology
Shanghai,China
