Team:WHU-China/Education
Elementary
Schools
Science popularization education to kids in Chagang Community
High
Schools
Interaction with XHD-WUHAN-Pro-China
Science popularization education in the affiliated
high school of Wuhan University
Universities
An introduction to synthetic biology and iGEM to freshmen in Wuhan University
General
Public
Science popularization education and discussion with teachers, students and other citizens from the Youth Center
Overview
In this part, we’d like to share what we have done in education in synbio and biology. We designed different parts aimed for people of all ages.
- For kids, we were willing to introduce them to the world of biology;
- For high school students, we devoted to show them the charm of biology;
- For university students, we hope to let them know what we can do with the knowledge we have learned in synbio and other subjects to make the world better;
- For the general public, we strived to spread the new idea of synbio and its safety.
In addition, we established a league for skin project and used social media to create an inclusive and sustainable community for popular science activities. Memes created by us will further enhance our influence. To enrich our education activity and make it more multidimensional and interesting, education materials including a small game, a poster, popular science brochure and stickers are designed.
Elementary Schools
Science popularization education to kids in Chagang Community
Goals:
1. Introduce kids to bacteria and biology
2. Teach kids practical skin-cleaning methods
3. Spread what synthetic biology is and its applications
4. Encourage imagination and teamwork
Event Description:
This summer we had the incredible opportunity to give a popular science activity with “Microbes on the Skin” as theme to children from public elementary schools in Chagang Community.
Boshuo Zhou and Jiaze Liu of our team served as the keynote speakers in the popular science class. They patiently and carefully explained the basic knowledge about skin microbe to the children and guided them to conduct small microbial experiments. The kids realized that there are many invisible creatures in nature. Microbes and humans are like both enemies and friends. Then we introduced the kids to synthetic biology and its applications. They came up of many interesting and inspiring thoughts which really surprised us. Then came the experiment part. We asked each child to press their fingerprints on the culture medium before and after they cleaned their hands to see if hand-washing can effectively bacteria. After pressing the fingerprint, the children wrote their names on the medium, and then we wrapped the medium with sealing film. The results would come out the next day.
When we were saying goodbye, some of the kids were really happy because they had so much fun and enjoyed the experience. They wouldn’t let us go without a hug and a thank you accompanied by a smile.
Takeaway:
At the end of the activity we talked with the parents who accompanied their kids, and they commented that activities like the one we did were very motivating for the kids because they explored their creative abilities and learned new things with unusual dynamics.
Honestly, working with children posed a bit of challenge. However, at the end of the activity we were amazed by the kids’ imagination and good understanding. Many of them were impressed by the potential of science, especially because they learned their “crazy” ideas could be achieved. Right now we have no doubt that some of them will be great scientists someday.
High Schools
Interaction with XHD-WUHAN-Pro-China
Goals:
1. Share our project
2. Exchange ideas about their project and ours
3. Help high school students define what they want to focus on in their near future, especially in their undergraduate education
Event Description:
On July 25, 2021, the College of Life Sciences of Wuhan University welcomed a group of special guests. The high school students of XHD-WUHAN-Pro-China iGEM team came to communicate with us. While helping each other improve the projects, it was also a good training and promotion for ourselves.
The exchange meeting was divided into three parts. First, we conducted a popular science lecture on acne, then the two teams introduced their own project design and framework. Finally the members of the two teams had a free discussion. In the final free discussion session, we answered some questions about the preparation of iGEM competition for high school students, and put forward some suggestions on their project design. When helping them find project loopholes, we were also examining whether there were similar problems in our own projects.The exchange meeting was divided into three parts. First, we conducted a popular science lecture on acne, then the two teams introduced their own project design and framework. Finally the members of the two teams had a free discussion. In the final free discussion session, we answered some questions about the preparation of iGEM competition for high school students, and put forward some suggestions on their project design. When helping them find project loopholes, we were also examining whether there were similar problems in our own projects.
Takeaway:
We listened to their doubts and questions and tried our best to offer suggestions. Weeks after we received texts from some of them asking more questions about biology courses and project improvement. This was so exciting for us because it meant our presentation was useful to some degree.
Inspiration is mutual. Using the power of synthetic biology to make the world better and make every innovative idea shine, we believe that is the spirt of iGEM.
Science popularization education to students from the affiliated high school of Wuhan University
Goals:
1. give a brief introduction to synthetic biology and iGEM
2. teach senior high school students both basic knowledge and frontier progress about acne
3. take our project as an example of bioengineering progress
4. encourage the exploration of synthetic biology
Event Description:
After the beginning of the new semester, we contacted with the teachers from affiliated high school of Wuhan University and got great supports. And we gave a lecture on synthetic biology and our project to fresh students of high middle school.
Three of our team members served as the keynote speakers. They introduced synthetic biology and iGEM, acne and our project Acneraser respectively. Synthetic biology is a very attractive and promising field. And as the highest international competition in synthetic biology, iGEM is a great opportunity to meet other devotees. With our introduction, the students showed great interest in it. Acne, a universal trouble for teenagers, arouse their attention to skin health. And how we managed to solve this problem through synthetic biology also showed them the basic method of science research.
After the lecture, we even got closer to them when chatting and answering their questions. The students were excited about learning something out of the textbook. And we were happy when our work was highly praised by both teachers and students.
Takeaway:
We were proud of introducing synthetic biology and iGEM to more teenagers as they were really creative and fond of finding something new. They might just lack efficient ways to learn more out of classes, and we are privileged to act as their leaders. Synthetic biology is not too far to approach. The story of how we got an idea and achieved it step by step motivated them a lot. Some students even showed a long-term interest in our project.
Universities
An introduction to synthetic biology and iGEM to freshmen in Wuhan University
Goals:
1. share the achievements and future of synthetic biology
2. show details of iGEM, including competition procedures and requirements
Event Description:
On the first weekend after the freshmen came to College of Life Science in Wuhan University, we held a lecture on synthetic biology and iGEM. We offered as much information as we could in a way as detailed as an instruction book. We believed these introductions did help the freshmen know synthetic biology and iGEM well.
It’s worth noting that we collaborated with HUST2-China Team to give a more comprehensive introduction through different points of view. Liran Mao volunteered to be the keynote speaker. She compared synthetic biology and classical biology to highlight the features, including engineering of design ideas. Then she looked forward to the future and the challenge. She also reviewed the development history of iGEM and WHU-iGEM Team. More importantly, she shared her own experience to participate in iGEM to encourage the freshmen to try it, to find it, and to enjoy it.
Takeaway:
From CCiC (Conference of China iGEMer Community) to global iGEMer Community, iGEM makes it possible to gather people who devote to synthetic biology around. We believe the spirit of iGEM ought to be passed and synthetic biology ought to be developed by more people. Consequently, we held the lecture to tell our story and passed the idea that solving the problems people are faced with and making the world a better place with the powerful method of synthetic biology.
General Public
Science popularization education and discussion with teachers, students and other citizens from the Youth Center
Goals:
1. make an introduction to the history, development of synthetic biology and some detailed information of iGEM
2. make presentations of our projects
Event Description:
We raised some basic biological questions at the beginning. As soon as each question appeared, everyone answered it actively and enthusiastically in the chatting box. Next, the relevant knowledge of "approaching synthetic biology" was introduced, varying from the history and current situations of synthetic biology to the introduction and development of iGEM. Everyone got a more systematical understanding about synthetic biology and iGEM. The goal of science popularization was also achieved. In the end, three teams introduced their projects and ideas about our work respectively.
Takeaway:
The lecture on synthetic biology jointly held by the iGEM team of Wuhan University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology and China Agricultural University was successfully held, which was unanimously affirmed by the participants, brought iGEM and synthetic biology into the sight of more people. We also gained friendship and new ideas from the iGEM teams of the three universities. The event attracted about 200 people in our chatting group and more than 100 of them took part in our lecture.
After the activity, the participants gave good feedbacks, feeling that they had obtained a lot. The activity successfully boosted their interest in synthetic biology. They also suggested us to set more time in discussion and carry out more activities like this.
WeChat Public Account
Based on Wechat, the public account allows comprehensive communication and interaction of articles, pictures, videos between account operators and its followers.
Through the Wechat platform, we proudly introduce iGEM, our project and synthetic biology to the public. On our Wechat official account, we regularly publish some popular knowledge about acne. The public can also get the activity notice and the introduction video of our team, and interact with us through the message to have more in-depth communications.
At the same time, we introduce our project to other teams through Wechat account and get to know other teams' projects, so as to try to seek in-depth cooperation on this basis.
Education materials
Synthetic biology is never boring or one-dimensional, so we try to enrich the project from a multi-dimensional perspective and make it interesting. Our products are as bellow.
1.Memes
In order to better spread our project, we made a set of emojis related to the project. The content of these emojis is about synthetic biology and acne. It not only popularizes the knowledge of acne and calls people to pay attention to skin health, but also brings synthetic biology closer to people's lives, increases acceptance and enhances our communication with society.
2.A small game
When popularizing science among primary school students, we found that some children are easy to be distracted. We designed a mini-game to capture their interest and helped them learn about synthetic biology and acne while having fun.
In addition, in the new version we are working on, we plan to add Q&A sessions when players fail.
It is hoped that knowledge will be available to more age groups in appropriate forms and we desire to share what is going on in the field of the most fascinating and promising synthetic biology with the future owners of our planet.
3.Stickers
We made a lot of stickers related to the project and gave them to people as souvenirs during the promotion and presentation.
4.Popular science brochure
We set up Skin League with other three teams and have made a meaningful and peculiar science handbook to not only spread our projects but also contribute to the introduction of synthetic biology. In order to reach a wider audience, we have produced both Chinese and English versions. It is excellent in art and design and we hope that it will inspire other iGEM teams.
