At the heart of our participation in the International Bioengineering Competition lies a commitment to education and knowledge dissemination. We believe that empowering people with information about synthetic biology and its real-world applications, particularly in the context of osteoarthritis, is essential. We conducted an offline community educational outreach and simultaneously published some content online.
Bridging the Gap: Our Team's Online Educational Outreach in Synthetic Biology
Here's a glimpse into our team's science communication efforts through our WeChat public account. Our primary objective in conducting science communication and outreach activities is to bridge the gap between complex scientific concepts and the general public. We understand that synthetic biology can appear daunting, but it holds immense potential to transform healthcare and address critical medical challenges like osteoarthritis.
Our WeChat Posts:
Figure 1. Our logo and slogan
Our tweet is published on our WeChat official account, which is a social software with the largest user group in China. It is mainly targeted at patients with osteoarthritis and young people who want to know about synthetic biology and iGEM.
On August 10th, we published the first tweet, introducing our team profile, and the meaning of the logo. Our project aims to target OGN as a potential new drug, so as to develop, new synthetic drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis patients. We believe that through our efforts, we will succeed, come on!
Figrue 2. Our first tweet
The second tweet is about the introduction of synthetic biology, aiming to make more people understand this emerging branch of science. Many people mistakenly believe that synthetic biology is solely applicable in medicine. However, it still plays a huge role in environmental protection and industry. Our tweet aims to correct this misconception and adds more relevant knowledge.
Figure 3. Our second tweet
The third tweet introduces our interview report on August 11th with two experts, Dr. Guo and Dr. Wang. They provided professional explanations on the pathogenic factors and conditions of osteoarthritis, as well as the existing treatment methods in the medical field. At the same time, we consulted with them regarding the feasibility and professional opinions of our research topic.
Figure 4. Our third tweet
On August 19th, we published our own business plan, in which we introduced in detail our financing, research and current bottlenecks and market environment. Our aim was to present our project's potential to prospective investors and actively seek their support
Figure 5. Our business plan
In summary, our team's online educational outreach in synthetic biology is driven by the belief that knowledge is a catalyst for change. Nearly 200 people have read our tweets. We aspire to equip individuals with the understanding and enthusiasm to embrace the transformative potential of synthetic biology, especially in the context of osteoarthritis. By sharing our project's objectives and progress, we hope to inspire the next generation of scientists and bioengineers. We aim to demonstrate the practical applications of synthetic biology in addressing real-world health challenges. Our science communication endeavors make synthetic biology accessible to a wider audience. By simplifying intricate ideas, we hope to inspire interest and curiosity among readers. Our WeChat science communication efforts are a small step toward a future where science is demystified, curiosity is nurtured, and innovation knows no bounds.
Empowering Young Minds: Our Team's Offline Educational Outreach in Synthetic Biology
As participants in the International Bioengineering Competition, we understand the pivotal role of education in driving advancements in the field of synthetic biology. Our commitment to fostering scientific curiosity led us to embark on an enlightening journey into a local community in Nanjing, where we conducted an interactive science outreach program for elementary school students. Certainly, we developed an educational program tailored to the cognitive characteristics of children aged 7 to 12. In this part, we will delve into the purpose behind our community engagement and its significance in the realm of synthetic biology.
Our primary objective in organizing this educational outreach program was to ignite a spark of interest and curiosity about synthetic biology among young minds. We firmly believe that by introducing complex scientific concepts in a fun and engaging way, we can inspire the next generation of scientists and bioengineers.
Figure 6 Our team has designed a poster for promotion and education
Three dry team members and two wet team members from our group went to the community center to educate nearly 30 children about the life science of bones and joints. First, we asked the children about bones, and after realizing that the children basically knew the concept of bones, we introduced them to the classification of bones according to their shapes. After introducing the classification, we asked the children to try to make a bone with clay. We actively interacted with the children as they made the bones and helped those who were having difficulty. We then introduced the concept of joints and asked them to try and see if they could join the two bones in different ways, some children chose to join the two directly and some chose to add a new section of clay in the middle to join the two together. We chose a few children who were willing to show off their finished products and asked them to show how they were joined. After showing and giving encouragement to the little kids, we announced that the correct answer was joints. Two bones are joined in the middle by a joint, and then we showed the children the types of joints that are categorized according to movability, and gave two or three examples of each type of joint. After talking about joints, we asked the children questions about the types of joints and rewarded them. Then we asked the children an important question and asked them to think about the possibility of a joint breaking down. They were asked to think about the toys they normally play with. After they raised their hands and voted, the numbers were about equal on both sides. We then announced the answer that joints can also break. Then asked what factors or events were felt to cause injury. The children gave a variety of answers, some correct and some imaginative. Then, we told them more about osteoarthritis and the effects it can have on the body and their lives. We also invited two students to come up and act out what they thought a person with osteoarthritis would be like to live with. Next, we invited three groups of students to play games and test their knowledge of the lesson. The children showed great results. At the end of the day, all the team members took a group photo with the children.
Nearly 30 children participated in our offline educational event and provided positive feedback. In conclusion, our team's educational outreach in synthetic biology embodies our belief that knowledge is a catalyst for positive change. By instilling a love for science and bioengineering in young hearts and minds, we hope to sow the seeds for a future where innovative solutions to pressing global issues, such as osteoarthritis, are nurtured by an inspired and educated generation. Our outreach program was not just a lecture; it was a step towards a brighter, more informed future.
Figure 7-9 offline education
Other education materials and tools
Our team has designed and made several education materials for the use of both online and offline event. The brochure contains summarized infomation about joint and arthritis such as what is arthritis and what’s the hazards. For the education ppt, since our target audiences are children, we made our slides easy to read and understand with interactive activities and many graphs. We hope our education tools and activities will help the audiences and public to know our project and related science knowledge.
Figure 10 Our brochure
Figure 11a&b Our education PPT
(Please click here to download the attachment-1)