Team:NAU-CHINA/Communication
Education & Communication
Overview
Collect Opinions
Children
Public
Schoolmates
Overview
Education and communication are very effective ways to reach out to the public. In this year's Education & Communication, we first collected the public's attitudes towards the application of synthetic biology in daily life and their access to relevant information through a questionnaire, which helped us understand the direction of our publicity and education and expand the scope and influence of publicity. After collecting opinions and combining with the epidemic situation, we finally selected Children, Public and Schoolmate as our target audience.
We went to elementary schools and introduced children to biology and simple engineering principles.
We gathered 18 participating teams in 2021 to carry out the national summer promotion--ICII and expanded iGEM's influence in China.
During the summer quarantine, we conducted online training on synthetic biology and iGEM competitions, and created Bilibili's Synthetic Biology channel to get more people involved in training(Bilibili is a cultural community which is similar to YouTube with a high concentration of Chinese young people).
At the same time, we published a number of articles on the official platform of Nanjing iGEM Association, so that followers can get more authentic consultation.
On campus, we also held roadshows, information sessions and campus tryouts to get students more involved in iGEM activities.
On the whole, Education & Communication allows us to get in touch with more people, motivate and inspire us with a lot of new ideas. Thanks to this process, we were able to grow and make our projects better.
Collect Opinions
Before Education & Communication, we made a questionnaire to learn the understanding level of synthetic biology among people of different ages, educational backgrounds and professions. We collected a total of 360 questionnaires and people's feedback helped us a lot.
1）It helps us understand
the public's acceptance of synthetic biology approaches
As for the rational use of
synthetic biology in daily life, most people hold a positive attitude, believing that synthetic
biology can help improve living standards and solve some problems in daily life. But there are
also concerns that this technology could affect the normal ecosystem and affect human health.
This shows us that synthetic biology has had a positive impact on the public, but we still need
to educate people about its principles and implications in order to dispel their fears once and
for all.
2) Help us determine the
direction of application and the way of publicity and education
The questionnaire we
made also investigated the public's understanding of SeNPs, as well as the concerns about
synthetic biology methods, which guided the direction of our publicity and education. By talking
with professors from humanities and social sciences field, we had a deeper understanding of
stakeholders' thinking and concerns, which is conducive to the promotion of our project.
Fig.1 Investigate ways for the public to understand SeNPs
3) Public education of
the subject and synthetic biology was carried out through questionnaires
We set a
hidden page in the questionnaire. When someone chooses to know nothing about synthetic biology
or SeNPs, we will display the hidden page corresponding to this option, that is, the overall
introduction of synthetic biology and the topic. This will help us to further educate the public
as we gather information.
Fig.2 Science introduction questionnaire interface,select the "not clear" option to switch to the details page
This questionnaire plays an important role in determining the direction of education and communication as well as the way of publicity for different groups. With a clear goal in mind, we began our journey.
Children
1
Experimental Primary School of Nanjing Agricultural University
——a series of lectures on
synthetic biology
We walked into class 3, grade 4, Experimental Primary School of Nanjing Agricultural University on a sunny afternoon. When we met for the first time, the children and we were a little reserved. But through our lively explanation, they gradually began to immerse themselves in the wonderful biological world. In the second lecture, the children showed great enthusiasm and began to actively interact with us.
At the end of the lecture, we received a lot of feedback from children.
Fig.3&4 Feedback received from children,we are surprised that children can ask so many interesting questions about synthetic biology
Through these feedback, we learned that children began to realize the important role of synthetic biology in life and were willing to actively understand it. We are very pleased that with the continuous efforts of various iGEM teams, more and more children have been able to show interest in synthetic biology since childhood and are willing to accept more applications of synthetic biology in life, which has also achieved the purpose of our trip.
Fig.5&6 The lecture site in Primary School of Nanjing Agricultural University
Public
In order to better promote synthetic biology and iGEM to the Chinese public, we jointly organized ICII promotion activities with CPU_CHINA. ICII, or "Into China,Into iGEM", is a summer tour organized by NAU-CHINA and CPU_CHINA to promote iGEM and synthetic biology. During the activity, our team was mainly responsible for the ideas and activity design of ICII in the early stage, including the determination of the form, significance and final presentation. We hope to make a bigger impact on synthetic biology by bringing together teams across the country and approaching every city. At the same time, we hope that the iGEM world can see the culture of different Chinese cities and Chinese people's enthusiasm for biotechnology development through the final video, so that the world can further understand China through ICII. These presentations are like a large-scale planting of the seeds for children and adolescents to use synthetic biology to benefit society and change the world. We are looking forward to tomorrow when they sprout and grow.
Fig.7 ICII warm up Poster
We carried out a series of activities such as new media platforms to expand the influence of the event. Finally, we united 18 iGEM 2021 teams from different regions in China to conduct online or offline public presentations in their respective teams' locations.
Fig.8&9 Wechat public account publicity screenshot
We walked all over 15 cities in China, but also in each area of the most beautiful local scenery. Therefore, we combined the team's presentation process with the traditional Beauty of China to jointly produce ICII's promotional video. To show the beauty of China and further promote synthetic biology and iGEM. In fact, ICII was a huge success.
3
Summer online training
In order to attract more students interested in synthetic biology and iGEM and provide them with more platforms for understanding and learning, we held this summer training to explain and answer questions to all students on campus. During the training, students actively participated. We know more about iGEM and are more interested in the technology of synthetic biology.
Fig.10 Summer online training screenshot in Tencent Meeting
4
Founded Bliblibli's synthetic biology channel
While training, we also established a new synthetic biology channel and uploaded the training video to Bilibili and other domestic well-known new media platforms, so that friends all over the country and even around the world can learn and understand synthetic biology and make our team stronger. (Bilibili is a cultural community which is similar to YouTube with a high concentration of Chinese young people.)
Fig.11-15 Training video in Bilibili
5
NIA Wechat public account
We helped to create the NIA Wechat public account for public awareness of biological knowledge. We actively released some push related to biological knowledge, promoted it among the audience, and got a good response.
Fig.16 Wechat public account articles
Schoolmates
6.1
Yulan Road propaganda
Yulan Road is a famous landmark of Nanjing Agricultural University. We gave lectures of our subject there. We introduce our subject as well as iGEM and synthetic biology to our schoolmates and teachers. We have set up interactive games on the roadside to make everyone further feel the charm of biology through reading materials, answering questions, experimental experience and other games. Of course, we have also prepared many original gifts for them. Everyone was very enthusiastic. While understanding us, they also tried to put forward many suggestions to us, which surprised us.
Fig.17&18 Some of our promotional materials
6.2
Campus lectures and campus trials
Step 1 Preheating
On the eve of the opening of the lecture, we, together with our school's student of Science and Technology Association, conducted warm-up publicity on this year's lecture and competition in campus. We introduced our topics and activities to the students, and distributed relevant souvenir. The students were very enthusiastic and had a strong interest in iGEM, which surprised us.
Fig.19&20 Public publicity site
Step 2 Campus propaganda meeting and campus trial
Same as in previous years, we held the campus trial of iGEM. Similar to iGEM, the event is hosted by the NAU-CHINA team for all students interested in iGEM. We conducted a series of training about iGEM and synthetic biology, and finally organized the students to form a team to participate in the simulation competition. During this period, participants need to complete the design of all contents of the whole project, including Model, Wiki, Human Practices, etc.
Fig. 21-24 Campus propaganda meeting and campus trial sites
Step 3 Evaluation and selection
During the competition, we will give them suggestions and guidance, then we consider selecting 2022 NAU-CHINA team members based on their performance.
Fig.25-27 Part of publicity materials