INTRODUCTION

As an iGEMer, it is our responsibility to make synthetic biology more accessible and attractive. This year, our team recognized the limitations of traditional publicity activities which were restricted in small scopes or targeted on specialists who had already equipped with synthetic biology knowledge. Thus, after elaborate consideration, we launched ICII, a large-scale national publicity campaign, carrying out different science popularization and education activities for classified audience according to their age and level of education. CPU_CHINA also combined synthetic biology with other fields, further launched art exhibitions and produced comic strips. And for better giving publicity to synthetic biology and publishing popular science articles, we have created team accounts in bilibili, Weibo and other major social platforms, actively adapted to the wave of new media development.

ICII: SPONSOR OF JOINT EDUCATION ACTIVITIES

ICII, namely "Into CHINA, Into iGEM", is a summer tour activity to publicize synthetic biology and iGEM, jointly sponsored by CPU_CHINA and NAU-CHINA. As an Education & Collaboration activity hosted by two teams, 18 iGEM teams from all over the country were invited. The teams showed the project information and posters of all the cooperating teams when they preached in their locations, and shot vlogs to record the interesting process of preaching and urban culture.

Fig. 1 Poster of Into CHINA, Into iGEM

With the collaboration of multiple teams throughout the country, the impact of synthetic biology is expected to be wider, broader and more profound. By approaching more cities and larger scale audiences, presenting new technology and new ideas in more specific forms, we aimed that our operation would achieve the common aspiration of projecting science popularization and iGEM event publicity, making synthetic biology more acceptable and impressive.

The sponsors compiled the vlogs of all the teams, and combined the presentation process and urban cultural publicity to edit a summary video. We hoped to unfold the culture of different cities in China to the iGEM world through the final video, showing the scientific and technological strength of China and the enthusiasm of the Chinese people for the development of biotechnology. Meanwhile, ICII could act as an entry point for the world to have a more comprehensive understanding of China.

Video 1. Vlog of Into CHINA, Into iGEM

These lectures are like a large-scale sowing, laying the seed of using synthetic biology to benefit society and change the world for children and adolescents. We are looking forward to their germination and growth tomorrow.

For more cooperation details, click the button below to view another separate page.

(Team:CPU CHINA/Collaborations - 2021.igem.org)

APPROACHING SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY

Primary school: Wonderful microbial factory

We hope to make primary school students know and be interested in synthetic biology, so we carried out a popular science activity with the theme of microbial factory in Zaozhuang Primary School. Since biology has not been systematically studied in primary school, we think we should choose more vivid ways of education.

1. Members of CPU_CHINA recorded a popular science video for students to introduce the safety regulations and layout of the laboratory and demonstrate the use of some instruments.

2. Our slides aimed to aid elementary school students in learning the basics of synthetic biology. In addition, we also prepared microbial factory color cards to encourage them to use their imagination to draw their own microbial factory. All the students gave us enthusiastic feedback and we received a total of 100 color cards.

   

   Fig. 2 Publicity site

   

   Fig. 3 Children's works

Middle school: synthetic biology and iGEM

We hope that middle school students who already have a certain biological foundation can understand synthetic biology and iGEM, so we launched an online presentation to introduce them to synthetic biology and how it could be used in daily life.

1. CPU_CHINA introduced the difference between synthetic biology and traditional biology and genetic engineering by means of a slide show, and connected them with real life. Our explanation aroused enthusiastic discussion among the students and received a great response.

   

   Fig. 4 Into synthetic biology

2. We also showed students the creative inspiration and concept of Meddy: Relight My Star public art exhibition. We hope that through this further explanation, we can better publicize the art exhibition and let students understand its deeper meaning.

College: Theory and Practice

We cooperated with CPU Bio-X Club to carry out synthetic biology activities on campus. During the annual club carnival, we showed students of our project design and showed them the development potential of synthetic biology in various fields. At the same time, the members also introduced the hazards of white pollution to the students, reminding everyone to protect the environment from themselves and contribute to a better earth.

We invited undergraduates from China Pharmaceutical University who are interested in synthetic biology to visit our lab. During that, we introduced them to our project and gave them some basic knowledge about synthetic biology. With the popularization of synthetic biology, we hope to attract more undergraduates to devote themselves to this field.

PROMOTING GARBAGE CLASSIFICATION

Community：Fun knowledge contest

In interviews with plastic recycling companies, they generally said that China's garbage sorting system still needs to be improved. Therefore, CPU_CHINA has carried out garbage classification publicity activities in Laiquan Community.

We introduced to residents how to classify common garbage in daily life, and inform them of the threat that white pollution poses to the world. The promotion uses a combination of introduction and interesting Q&A. The participant with the highest score will get the Meddy model carefully prepared by us, and all participants will give CPU_CHINA peripheral gifts.

Rural area: Garbage Sorting Experience Center

In order to achieve a wider range of popular science, we also went to the Zhangjiacun Garbage Sorting Experience Center in Shuangtang Community, established by the Nanjing Government, and participated in a variety of fun games in the experience center with the villagers. In addition to some fun games inside the experience hall, there is also a supermarket with a point reward system. The classification of other garbage and kitchen waste in residents' homes is evaluated by collectors using smart devices, and the system automatically gives users different points. Residents can use the points to redeem small commodities in the point supermarket.After a day of experience and publicity, the concept of environmental protection has taken root in each of us.

MEDDY：RELIGHT MY STAR PUBLIC ART EXHIBITION

Meddy：Relight My Star, an exhibition in the form of public art showing how we are using synthetic biology to solve polyethylene plastic pollution. In this exhibition, everyone will play the role of an explorer, following in the footsteps of the protagonist, Meddy, to relight the star of synthetic biology.

Fig. 4 MRMS synbio public art exhibition.

We use digital interactive animation, 3D printing, scrap, walls, floors, metal, lighting and other public art media to inspire people to think about the environmental crisis and to enable them to experience firsthand the magic of using synthetic biology to solve real world problems.

Click the button below for more details on a separate page.Team:CPU CHINA/MeddyRelightMyStar - 2021.igem.org

MEDDY IN WONDERLAND--COMIC STRIP

Meddy In Wonderland is the guiding mini-comic of the exhibition, which tells the story of Meddy using synthetic biology to solve the polyethylene crisis . There are a lot of details about synthetic biology hidden in the comics that will help you understand and participate in the rest of the show. We believe that the wonderful pictures and interesting stories will attract the public, especially teenagers, and ignite interest in synthetic biology from a new perspective.

Fig. 5 Meddy in Wonderland synbio comic strip.

Online interaction

With the coming of the Internet era and the continuous development of new media, more and more audiences are changing their behavior patterns in life, work and study. New media, represented by the Internet and social media, progresses at an ever-high speed, constantly promoting the development and improvement of modern communication.

We seized this precious opportunity for new media development, and registered team accounts on some most popular social platforms such as Weibo and bilibili. Closely following trending topics, we updated scientific videos and tweets to interact with audiences from the local Science and Technology Museum, Teen Center, etc. A lot of teenagers made sense of iGEM and synthetic biology under our guidance through those platforms.