Team:ICJFLS/Communication
1. Education in the recruitment of iGEMer community
In recent years, our school's iGEM projects have great achievements. The students are very interested in joining the society. In order to develop and expand the new forces of the society and add new members, our project members carried out educational activities including the aims, basic knowledge, requirements, application, and future development direction of iGEM society to the students in detail (Fig.1).
At the same time, we gave them better eduction about environmental friendly straw made by amylose synthesized in bacteria.
The members of the project team introduced the our 2021iGEM project from different aspects, especially the project of preparing amylose straw by synthesizing amylose in bacteria, which greatly attracts the students' interest and gives scientific directions from the theory to practical application of synthetic biology. The students listened attentively, especially how to deal with the straw problems encountered in daily life. Under the plastic straw restriction ban, it brought opportunities for innovation straws. From the defects of paper straw, wheat straw straw and PLA straw, the students are very interested in amylose straw, We have seen the future of synthetic biology and brought revolutionary changes to daily lives. The education played an important role in the recruitment of students' joining the IGEM society and understanding the environmental friendly amylose straw.
From the eyes of these younger students, we can know their desire for knowledge. Through teaching, they understand the principle of synthetic biology, what they can do and what they want to do, which greatly broadened the students' ideas and vision.
Fig.1. The education in the recruitment of iGEMer community
Conclusion: By education, IGEM project has brought new members a good experience and a deeper understanding of synthetic biology, and its important impact on society in the future.
2. Communication with consumers and publicity to the public
In order to have a better understanding of the acceptance of amylose straw in the society, we interviewed and communicated with consumers and some random passers-by (Fig.2). The topic is that "Will you accept the amylose synthesized from bacteria to make straw?" The results can show the attitude of the people towards straws.
Fig.2. The interview and communication with consumers and random passers-by
From the result we can see that although most respondents never heard of the amylose synthesized from bacteria to make straw, 53.89% respondents would like to accept the straw made from bacterial synthesis production; 42.67% of them want consideration; only 3.44% of people can't accept it (Fig.3). By communicating with them, we know the biggest problem is that they are worried about hygiene.
Fig.3. The attitude toward amylose straw
We took more attention on 42.67% of them who are hesitant about the amylose straw, which indicated that we still need to do some more education. Therefore, we did some educations work.
We developed the knowledge popularization publicity of amylose straw to the public (Fig.4), such as the generation, classification, function, and application of starch. At the same time, we explained the synthetic biology method of synthesizing amylose, including the synthetic pathway and the high-temperature sterilization process of the preparing straw after amylose and cellulose were synthesized by bacteria, so as to ensure safety and hygiene.
Fig.4. The publicity of bacterial amylose straw to the public
Conclusion: Through these activities of education and publicity, people have a certain understanding of amylose straw, which is conducive to the popularization and application of amylose straw.