Overview
In this post pandemic era, Team iGEM Calgary has utilised both virtual and in-person tools to educate the community at large about the importance of Synthetic Biology and strides it has taken over the years . Please find our various initiatives outlined in this page that we took part with a vision to further education within the iGEM community, within our university community, within our local community and our global community as well.
MDSC 507: Introduction to Synthetic Biology
Given the multidisciplinary nature of our team, it was essential for us to possess a solid grasp of synthetic biology before embarking on our project and conducting educational outreach. All 12 of our team members took part in the Medical Science (MDSC) 507 course, held during the winter semester from January to April. Led primarily by Dr. Mayi, this course featured guest lecturers and mentors from previous iGEM teams, covering topics from the central dogma to genetic circuits through weekly lectures and six major assignments. Beyond enhancing our understanding of synthetic biology, we gained insight into what sets iGEM apart from conventional science competitions. We learned about supplementary projects that would run in tandem with our wet lab and dry lab work, including Educational Outreach and Human Practices, all aimed at emphasising the collaborative creation of products for, and with the community. MDSC 507 provided valuable insights into the collaborative nature of our summer project and the iterative design process it entailed.
The highlight of our work came during the Mindfuel Tech Futures Challenge competitions, where we put our synthetic biology knowledge and stakeholder engagement skills to the test. During the competition we were also able to connect with other like-minded iGEMers and also present our initial project work to a panel of judges. Our team did exceptionally well and won at both stages of the Mindfuel Tech Futures Challenge competition.
Educational Outreach
Delhi Public School
iGEM Calgary planned a virtual outreach to Delhi Public School in Amritsar, India where we presented and spread awareness about Synthetic Biology and its far reaching impacts to 49 students of Grade 11 and 12 with the intent of inspiring students with the prospects of Synthetic Biology and STEM research. The activity began with an introduction that detailed the basics of synthetic biology, starting with biology, engineering, and bioinformatics. Several problems were presented, such as air pollution, bioremediation, global virus outbreak and life in space and how companies and various teams were trying to solve these issues using synthetic biology, which was followed by important debates on ethical considerations regarding designing these organisms. Students then participated in activities such as a virtual quiz and activities which divided them into groups, with each group choosing one of the problems presented to them and designing a solution to the chosen problem using tools of synthetic biology.
Finally, a feedback survey was conducted for both instructors and students, in which 9 instructors and 37 students filled in their responses, as summarised in figure 1 and figure 2 , respectively. Overall, iGEM Calgary received stellar feedback from both students and teachers for their presentation- with 100% instructors finding the event engaging and interactive and 78.4% students finding the event interactive, 91.9% students finding something new to learn through this event, followed by enquiries and follow-up through emails and instagram DMs regarding how to pursue Synthetic Biology and STEM research over the next few days, hence validating the intent of this outreach.
Tom Baines School
To inspire students with the possibilities of synthetic biology and STEM research, iGEM Calgary organised an in-person outreach at Tom Baines School in Calgary, Canada. We spoke with 240 grade 9 students and shared information on synthetic biology and its wide-ranging effects. An overview explaining the fundamentals of synthetic biology, starting with biology, engineering, and bioinformatics, preceded the activity. Several concerns were discussed, including how businesses and other teams were attempting to use synthetic biology to address them, including air pollution, ocean pollution, a worldwide viral epidemic, and life in space. After that, the students engaged in activities including a quiz, strawberry DNA extraction, and group-based exercises where they each chose an issue and presented their solutions to it using synthetic biology.
IndigeSTEAM
IndigeSTEAM's goal is to provide Indigenous-led and culturally-relevant programming in STEAM which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The “A” in STEAM can stand for Arts, Architecture, and Agriculture which are all areas of learning that Indigenous peoples have been innovators in for thousands of years. Indigenous people are very under-represented particularly in STEM education and it is important that we continue to educate ourselves on the disparities that exist within our community and seek ways to combat them. It is crucial that STEM outreach programs, such as IndigeSTEAM, are provided to Indigenous youth and that they are tailored to respect indigenous perspectives.
The CholesterLock team partnered up with IndigeSTEAM and we mentored Indigenous youth regarding their aspirations in science. We held a discussion on synthetic biology, provided a glimpse of the iGEM competition and the opportunities that may come from it and we also looked into potential career paths in science. The highlight of the day for many of the Youth was when the CholesterLock team helped them conduct a few experiments including bacterial transformations, a Strawberry DNA extraction and a demonstration with some microscopes!
From this experience, we learnt the importance of representation in these science spaces and we also learnt how to communicate complex concepts so that anyone, science background or not, can appreciate them.
