Team:USAFA/Partnership

The 2021 USAFA iGEM team enjoyed a several month partnership with the University of Oslo and the Autonomous University of Nuevo León as we worked together to tackle the PFAS problem. We were able to meet on a virtual video platform site and talk strategy about PFAS projects, develop methods, and even start up the PFAS social media challenge as an international PFAS education initiative.

Oslo and Nuevo León

On the 13th of August and the 13th and 21st of September, 2021, we met with the iGEM teams from the University of Oslo and the Autonomous University of Nuevo León for around an hour each time.   We shared information about our projects and planned a social media public outreach event with the University of OSLO.

Social Media Challenge

 

USAFA PFAS CHALLENGE:
The social media challenge lasted over two weeks from September 27th to October 8th, we held a social media challenge to raise PFAS awareness around the world in collaboration with iGEM teams at the University of Oslo in Norway and the Autonomous University of Nuevo León in Mexico. The goal was to: 

1. Go 1 week without using PFAS Products
2. Post pictures of products with PFAS on social media with #PFASChallenge
3. Challenge family, friends, and the world to learn about PFAS!

We had the Air Force Academy’s Instagram post about our team and how we are researching ways to degrade PFAS. We tagged our Instagram in the post where we posted more information.



The AFA Instagram has 233K followers, so we were able to reach a large audience and spread awareness about the PFAS problem.



The University of OSLO held a panel at their school to spread awareness and also participated in the social media challenge.

Methods

Along with the virtual meetups, we also discussed the methods we have used for proof of concept with the University of OSLO team. They got to the point in their project where they wanted to check for cleavage of PFAS, and we explained how in the past we have monitored PFAS degradation through two mechanisms/indicators using fluoride ion release probes and sending samples out for LCMS detection. University of OSLO explained that they have considered measuring fluoride ion-changes with electrode and colorimetric assay.