Our team believes that our mission is not limited to laboratory experiments. What's more important is the practical application and raising public awareness. We have decided to communicate our passion for synthetic biology to society and help them better understand our project and synthetic biology as a whole. Our activities will have an impact on various levels, ranging from kindergartens to the wider community, fostering mutual learning and growth among all participants.
We tried to communicate with the principal and administrative staff of the Wuxi Luoshe Center Kindergarten to obtain the opportunity to hold activities there. Environmental protection is a huge topic, and it is important to cultivate the awareness of protecting the Earth's environment from a young age, as well as inspire them to use science to improve the environment. The phenomenon of educational inequality is particularly evident today, and it is difficult for children in underdeveloped communities to be exposed to science at a young age, making it difficult to cultivate their interest in it. Our team, with a sense of responsibility and mission to promote the development of life science, improve educational equity, and protect the environment, believes that organizing activities for kindergarten children is a very good way to achieve our goals.
On September 1st, we prepared a picture book called "The Adventures of Plastic King" in advance for the children to read. The book tells the story of Plastic King's efforts to protect the forest environment. We aim to help children understand this through a visually appealing and easy-to-understand format. In collaboration with the kindergarten teachers, we also distributed cards depicting different microorganisms to the children, explaining their characteristics. The children actively engaged in discussions with us during the class, which brought us immense joy. We then used a PowerPoint presentation to introduce the different types of plastics and the dangers of plastic pollution, as well as our team's approach to plastic degradation. Many children eagerly asked us various questions as we were about to leave. As a token of remembrance, we left the children with our team's logo and mascot keychains.
If we can inspire their passion for science and life sciences when they are young and guide them into the field of science, it will be a great victory for our team. We hope to inspire more people to learn about iGEM and synthetic biology through our efforts, making us feel the value of our project.
Primary School
During the summer break, the primary division of Nanjing International Experimental School approached the NJTech-China-A team, inquiring if we would be interested in conducting a course on environmental conservation for their students. Recognizing it as a splendid opportunity to acquaint the students with the realms of synthetic biology and environmental protection, our team, after thorough communication, resolved to embark on this endeavor once the students commenced their new academic year.
On the 6th of September, two members of our team, Ji Jiaqi and Chen Sijia, paid a visit to Nanjing International Experimental School, where they delivered enlightening sessions on environmental preservation and engaging campus experiments. We imparted the young minds with insights on plastic classification, environmental pollution and conservation, as well as shed light on the presence of bacteria in our daily lives. Moreover, we guided the students through a captivating activity involving the cultivation of microbial colonies in petri dishes, akin to painting on a canvas. Throughout this process, the students not only acquired proficiency in utilizing laboratory instruments such as pipettes, beakers, and droppers, but also developed an immense fascination for scientific experimentation. Lastly, we led them in engaging activities like synthetic biology debates, fostering an atmosphere of intellectual discourse.
The students displayed remarkable enthusiasm during the classroom sessions, eagerly raising their hands to answer questions and proactively posing their own inquiries. Regrettably, due to time constraints, many of their questions remained unanswered until the closing moments of the class.
The teachers were also highly appreciative of our teaching approach, extending an invitation for us to conduct a course for the secondary division of Nanjing International Experimental School's Jinling Branch. Prior to commencing the course for the secondary division, we engaged in further discussions with the school's teachers, seeking to understand their teaching requirements and the students' areas of interest. This collaborative exchange enabled us to design and prepare the course content more effectively, ensuring that it captures the students' attention and ignites their passion for learning.
Junior High School
On September 12, 2023, our team visited the middle school department of Nanjing Experimental International School and conducted a science popularization lecture on biology and pollution for middle school students. This event was targeted towards middle school students, and we used examples from daily life and study materials to educate them on synthetic biology, plastics, and environmental protection. During the lecture, we encouraged students to actively think and bravely express their thoughts and opinions through continuous interactive questioning, making our presentation lively and engaging.
The participating students gained an understanding of the definition of synthetic biology, various types of plastics, and small environmental protection measures that they can take. During the event, we found that many students already had a relatively mature and objective understanding of environmental protection concepts. After popularizing the different types of plastics and environmental protection measures, we also conducted random questioning, and the students were able to answer the content we explained. As an encouragement, we distributed small gifts to them, making this lecture a complete success.
Senior Middle School
In the summer of 2023, the NJTech-China-A team from Nanjing Tech University carried out a series of summer camp activities on biology in Nanjing High School. The activity is divided into three parts, focusing on the group of high school students.First，they watched the video and completed the quiz.Second, NJTech-China-A team members carried out various learning lectures on the theme of synthetic biology.Third,our team members helped them run petri dish experiments.
The NJTech-China-A team appropriately teaches some expertise in synthetic biology on the basis of the biology knowledge acquired in high school. We made a series of videos called Synthetic Biology Class, uploaded them to a new media platform, invited them to watch the videos, and quizzed them on the content a week later. What was surprising was that the high school students could answer the questions smoothly, and many of them said that the video content was lively and interesting, which could stimulate their desire to continue exploring.
We invited high school students from all over the country who are interested in biology. High school students gathered in Nanjing Tech University, and the NJTech-China-A team conducted a three-month iGEM summer camp training for them. The first week is a theoretical learning week, during which they will learn various experimental principles, experimental operation and receiver laboratory safety education. The second and third weeks are practice weeks, where they go into the lab to do experimental work on their own projects. High school education in China focuses on the study of textbook knowledge, and it is difficult for high school students to have the chance to do experiments by themselves. It was the first time the high school students had been exposed to the operation of a biological experiment, and they were very excited. We prepared four colors, after the senior talked about the basic operation, everyone can't wait to finish their own painting. Three days later, the culture was completed, and everyone not only conducted the biological experiment in person, but also obtained a piece of their own work.
The summer camp organized by NJTech-China-A team for high school students has been warmly received and praised. The high school students were encouraged and excited.One of the high school students said， "After this summer camp, I really understand the meaning and charm of synthetic biology, which triggered my dialectical thinking about human development and ecological protection."
The parents of students and the principal of the high school spoke highly of the summer camp activities. They suggested and encouraged students to participate in more experiential social practice activities during the holidays, think about their hobbies and interests from the activities, and make unremitting efforts to learn and make their career plans.
High school is a transitional period in which children have the responsibility to take responsibility and plan for their future. NJTech-China-A team gives full play to the unique advantages of college students' biotechnology competition, and advocates high school students to participate in practical activities while learning textbook knowledge, cultivate innovative thinking ability, improve comprehensive quality, and do a good job in the early accumulation for a meaningful college life, and achieve the best of themselves!
University
In April 2023, the HP group of NJTech-China-A team from Nanjing Tech University carried out a science popularization lecture on the theme of synthetic biology for freshmen majoring in biology. We hoped to help them better understand the frontier of bioengineering, so that they could have a clearer plan for their future careers. We chose the PETase used in our experimental project as an example to explain how it combines with the substrate to degrade plastics. In order to efficiently degrade plastic products, we not only rely on natural enzymes, but also through scientific synthetic biology to modify enzymes so that they can be directed to evolution to meet human production needs, while protecting the ecological environment.
The students responded enthusiastically to the presentation and showed a strong interest in biology. On this basis, our team set up a series of biological carnival activities.
In June 2023, we hosted the inaugural Synthetic Biology Carnival event at Nanjing Tech University, with the participation of the NNU-China from Nanjing Normal University. The two teams cooperated with each other, so that more students knew the harm caused by unreasonable use and handling of PET, and learned a wealth of biological knowledge through this novel activity.
Based on the experience of carrying out science popularization, we actively collected the feedback of students, and strictly formulated the planning plan of synthetic biology carnival, and strictly checked the process. The first part of the carnival was to popularize biology knowledge for students in the form of games in the school playground. We set up easy to understand games, such as: "tongue twister", "loop game", "darts game", "guessing game", combining synthetic biology with traditional games, learning about the abbreviations of different plastics, and we also gave beautiful gifts for the activities to participate in. The students invited to interview said that this is an interesting and rich activity, they can gain biological knowledge and stimulate learning interest in laughter.
The second part of the Bio Carnival was a school bus presentation to promote the synthetic biology and iGzEM competitions. On the school bus in the morning, we explained PET related knowledge to the students who took the school bus, and filled in the questionnaire about plastic environmental protection. This lecture is to make full use of the students' fragmented time, in the form of popular science to call on everyone to strengthen environmental awareness, pay attention to the recycling of plastics. Students said that after falling asleep on the school bus in the morning, the lecture not only woke them up, but also gave them more confidence and motivation to start their day of study, because they realized that what we learn can make the world a better place. The school bus carrying biological environmental protection knowledge has become a beautiful landscape on the campus highway.
Thanks to the strong support and careful guidance of teachers from the College of Food and Light Industry. NJTech-China-A team carries out various biological lectures and enrichment activities to increase college students' biological knowledge reserve and enhance their environmental awareness. At the same time, taking themselves as examples, NJTECH-China-A team calls on them to actively apply the textbook knowledge learned on campus into practical actions, starting from small things, and effectively contribute their youth power to social development and world development.
Minority
Environmental protection is a matter that concerns all of humanity, so our educational activities are aimed at everyone. During the course of our educational activities, we constantly reflect on whether we have involved all groups. At this point, our team members thought of our team captain from the NJTech-China-A team, who happens to be a member of an ethnic minority. He said, "Ethnic minorities have their own language, so many elderly people cannot understand Chinese." Additionally, many ethnic minority groups live in remote areas with limited communication and lack knowledge of synthetic biology. In order to popularize education among ethnic minority groups, we have carried out educational activities specifically focused on ethnic minorities.
Because our school is an inclusive institution, we have many ethnic minority classmates on campus. We asked our Inner Mongolian and Uyghur classmates, who enthusiastically recognized the significance of our activities and agreed to shoot a synthetic biology classroom video in their own ethnic languages - the ethnic minority edition. The video was edited and produced to include both Chinese and ethnic minority languages, and was released on our operated social media platforms. Since there are fewer ethnic minority communities around us, we also asked classmates who helped us record the videos to send them to their ethnic relatives and friends, and encourage them to share and spread the videos for more people to learn.
Through social media and the assistance of our ethnic minority classmates, our synthetic biology classroom - ethnic minority edition has been widely disseminated among Mongolian and Uyghur communities. While conducting education in synthetic biology, we have also greatly strengthened friendly exchanges among various ethnic groups. We have become more united and progressive together.
Special Group
In August 2023, in order to enhance the green idea of sustainable development, the iGEM team from Nanjing Tech University called NJTech-China-A expanded the audience group, and invited Mr. Chen to teach the special group about the basic knowledge of biology in the form of sign language. The special group means individuals with both hearing and speech impairments.
In the form of sign language, Mr. Chen Ming introduced the importance of garbage classification for garbage disposal and environmental pollution alleviation; Different colors of garbage bins correspond to different types of garbage. For example, the blue bucket is the symbol of the recyclable garbage bin, which helps special groups to understand the meaning of different colors and classification skills in a simple and understandable way, which is conducive to them mastering life knowledge and life skills, and improving biological literacy and cultural connotation.
There is no small matter in the people's livelihood, just as the branches and leaves always related to the situation. "Garbage classification" is the protection of nature, "protection of vulnerable groups" is respect and care for people, both of which are good deeds that we should continue to practice in our lives. NJTech-China-A team takes the science popularization of biological knowledge as an opportunity and takes Internet new media technology as a link to organically combine the "protection of vulnerable groups" and "publicity of garbage classification", demonstrating the consistent concern and attention to nature and human society, which contains profound people's feelings and youth responsibility.
NJTech-China-A team not only carried out sign language propaganda garbage classification activities offline, but also recorded related videos and uploaded them to the website to popularize classification knowledge and life skills for more deaf and mute people. The video content is concise yet rich and interesting.. After the publication of the video, the related clicks and attention continue to grow rapidly, and are widely praised by the audience.
Protecting the natural homeland and warming the hearts of millions of people is the goal and wish of every member of NJTech-China-A team. We will rely on scientific biological knowledge, through teamwork, show the style of The Times of youth, in a popular form to drive more people to participate in the garbage classification action, at the same time, we call on everyone to give more care to the special groups, let us build a clear and beautiful earth together under the same blue sky!
Twice volunteered to teach in the western region
In the western region of China, educational resources are relatively scarce, and science education often remains limited to traditional teaching methods and curriculum content. As a result, many students have limited opportunities to encounter the latest technological advancements and cutting-edge knowledge.
To promote synthetic biology in a broader and more impactful manner, the NJTech-China-A team from Nanjing Tech University traveled to Lanzhou City in Gansu Province and collaborated with LZU-CHINA. Together, we conducted a brief teaching support activity at Heishan Village Primary School in Minle County. Our focus was to explain the basic concepts of synthetic biology and plastic degradation.
The course went smoothly, and the children were very serious and cooperative, raising their hands to speak and expressing their thoughts and questions about synthetic biology and environmental protection.Through our interaction, they gradually realized that they could contribute to the environment and protect their homes through the power of science, which fully reflects their curiosity and thirst for knowledge.We are delighted by the enthusiasm and participation of the children, and we believe that this teaching support will have a highly positive impact on their future development.Through this activity, we hope to stimulate the curiosity and creativity of children in remote areas to explore synthetic biology and plastic degradation, cultivate their observation and thinking skills in science, and also enhance their environmental awareness.
Due to the satisfactory results of our first teaching support activity, we once again traveled to Huining County in Gansu Province. This time, we conducted a more comprehensive and detailed practical activity at Zhongchuan Elementary School in Zhongchuan Town, aiming to spread the spark of science further.
Firstly, we developed a targeted teaching plan by considering the educational status and learning abilities of students in the western region. By incorporating interesting and interactive experiments and case studies, coupled with simplified and accessible explanations, we introduced and explained the core concepts and principles of synthetic biology. This enabled the children to have a preliminary understanding and comprehension of these knowledge areas. Moreover, this teaching approach also stimulated their curiosity and fostered a greater interest in learning.
Secondly, we guided the children to apply the knowledge they learned to practical situations. Considering the residents in the western region have a strong focus on agricultural crops, ecological environment, and other issues, as well as the broad application prospects of synthetic biology in these areas, we provided specific and relatable examples from daily life. This helped the children truly experience the importance of scientific technology in improving their lives.
Lastly, we emphasized the education on the ethics and safety aspects of synthetic biology. We analyzed the risks and challenges it entails and imparted knowledge on safety and legal matters. Our goal was to assist the children in developing proper moral perspectives and scientific literacy.
This popular science activity on biology has also achieved tremendous success. Not only did we impart knowledge on synthetic biology to the local children, but we also ignited their interest in biological science, improved their scientific literacy, and planted the seeds of innovation in their hearts.
Through such educational support activities, we have made contributions to strengthening education and building an innovative country in the western region. As aspiring young people in the new era, let us join hands and collectively disseminate knowledge on synthetic biology to more people, contributing to the flourishing of the scientific enterprise!
The Nanjing Science and Technology Museum
Nanjing Science Museum is a popular science education base that attracts significant attention from the public. The visitors who come here for a visit are mostly students who have an interest in and a certain foundation in subjects such as science and biology. In light of this, we have made adjustments to the difficulty and specialized content of our classes, ensuring that they are more tailored to the students' knowledge level on-site. Additionally, we have provided opportunities for children who are interested in learning about synthetic biology to acquire knowledge.
We are honored to have collaborated with relevant personnel on August 3rd to carry out a promotional activity with a focus on environmental protection, plastics, and synthetic biology.
The event was divided into two parts. The first part consisted of a science lecture, where we provided detailed explanations about iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) and the related knowledge of synthetic biology and environmental protection. Additionally, we showcased the process of making microbial culture dishes and presented our successful cultivation results.
Next came the interactive game session, which was the highlight of the event. First, we held a prize-winning Q&A session to test participants' understanding of synthetic biology and environmental protection through answering questions. Then, we encouraged everyone to write or draw their thoughts and ideas about biology or any messages they wanted to express. We randomly selected pre-written postcards for participants to exchange. To make the experience more enjoyable, we prepared many snacks as prizes for the participants.
Through this event, we successfully integrated education and entertainment, enhancing participants' understanding of synthetic biology and plastic waste reduction. We hope this event can inspire more people to become interested in environmental conservation and bio-sciences, thus contributing to creating a more sustainable future.
Social Media
The rise of social media has provided enormous opportunities for promoting education. Through social media platforms, we can easily overcome the limitations of time and space, making educational content more convenient to share, disseminate, and interact with. Therefore, we have decided to utilize the power of social media to promote educational activities.
We have created three platforms—Bilibili, Douyin, and WeChat Official Account—as channels for promoting our educational activities and publishing content. On Bilibili and Douyin, we primarily release synthesized biology classroom videos and daily vlogs related to our projects. These videos combine educational and entertaining elements, delivering knowledge about synthetic biology in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. On our WeChat Official Account, we continuously publish articles on synthetic biology, plastics, environmental protection, as well as introductions and retrospectives of other educational activities.
Through social media platforms, our goal is to provide people in different regions with the opportunity to watch and read our educational videos and articles. With the widespread coverage and popular usage of social media users, our educational content can spread at a faster pace and reach a larger audience. Moreover, the interactive features of social media enable education to be more engaging and participatory. People can interact and communicate with us through likes, comments, shares, and other means, further facilitating the dissemination and expansion of education.
In conclusion, with the power of social media, our educational activities can extend their influence and allow more individuals to engage with synthetic biology and environmental education. Through sharing knowledge, mutual learning, and interactive communication, we can collectively strive to create a more environmentally friendly and sustainable future.
The influence of social media in the field of education is increasingly apparent. Through social media platforms, we are able to establish closer connections and communication with students, teachers, and other education practitioners. This direct interactive environment promotes knowledge sharing and collaboration. Meanwhile, social media also provides visual learning resources and interactive tools, making education more vivid and personalized.
Bilibili, Douyin, and WeChat Official Account, as the main platforms for educational activities, are not just channels for content dissemination but also social communities. Social media can help us establish an interactive learning community, where education resources are shared, discussions take place, and questions are answered, thus stimulating interest and motivation for learning.
Multiple popular science videos have surpassed 100 views, with the highest number of plays reaching 6,000. The cumulative number of likes on multiple platforms has exceeded 1,000!
In this community, students can learn from and support each other, while our team can closely interact and guide the students.
Finally, the interactivity and dissemination power of social media also bring more opportunities and challenges to educational activities. We can conduct online educational activities, host webinars, and organize online learning communities through social media platforms, providing more flexible and accessible education and training for students. However, when posting educational content on social media, it is important to ensure quality and credibility and establish feedback mechanisms and supervision systems to guarantee the accuracy and effectiveness of educational content.
In general, social media possesses enormous potential and influence in the field of education. By utilizing social media platforms for educational activities, we can make education more accessible, promote interactive and personalized learning, and facilitate the sharing and collaboration of educational resources. However, we must also recognize the advantages and limitations of social media and actively harness its power to inject new vitality and innovation into the development of education.
Synthetic Biology Debate Competition
Topic: Would you wear clothes made of polyester?
In order to promote environmental education for minors and make science popular and flexible, the NJTech-China-A team from Nanjing Tech University conducted a debate competition on the theme of synthetic biology in primary, middle, and high schools. The topic of the debate was "Would you wear clothes made of polyester?"
Considering the different levels of cognitive ability and knowledge reserves among primary, middle, and high school students, the NJTech-China-A team tailored different debate processes for each group.
At the primary school level, where students have the weakest foundation in biology, most of them have difficulty distinguishing between different fabrics such as polyester and cotton. Therefore, we chose to conduct the debate in the form of a science popularization session hosted by the moderator. We prepared clothes made of different materials in advance, allowing the children to visually and tactually experience the materials. This helped them understand the materials and choose their preferred fabric while explaining their reasons, in order to achieve the purpose of discussion and debate.
Based on the debate results, primary school students generally do not favor clothes made of polyester. They prefer pure cotton clothes and believe that plastic clothes are uncomfortable to wear.
For middle school students, who already have a certain level of biological knowledge, their debate focused on discussing the characteristics of polyester. For example, the affirmative side argued that polyester fabric has high strength and elasticity recovery ability, while the opposing side believed that polyester fabric has poor moisture absorption, causing a stuffy feeling in summer, and is prone to static electricity and discomfort in winter.
The final debate result showed that both sides presented compelling arguments, and although there was no clear winner, everyone learned a lot from it.
The debate among high school students was more professional and in-depth. They explored the physical and chemical properties of polyester, investigated the reasons behind its characteristics, and compared it with other materials such as nylon and cotton. At the end of the debate, the moderator from the NJTech-China-A team's HP group provided them with tips on how to clean polyester clothes. Due to the tendency of polyester to generate static electricity, it is recommended to use a lint remover for daily maintenance and avoid washing it with woolen clothes.
Overall, polyester fabric has good wrinkle resistance and shape retention, making it suitable as a clothing material. However, due to its tendency to generate static electricity, poor dust absorption, and weak moisture absorption, extra attention is required for cleaning and maintenance. Nevertheless, considering its environmental friendliness and affordability, most people prefer clothes made of polyester.
Through the synthetic biology debate competition organized by the NJTech-China-A team, minors of different age groups have gained a deeper understanding of the characteristics of different fabrics, with polyester as a representative. This has increased their knowledge of daily life and biology. At the same time, we encourage them to apply the knowledge they have learned to real life. For example, they can use the care tips for polyester to help their parents clean clothes and take on household responsibilities. Additionally, we encourage them to pay attention to environmental knowledge in their daily lives and do their best to use biodegradable and easily recyclable materials to reduce pollution on Earth. This activity has received enthusiastic responses and high praise from teachers and students.
Community
The learning of synthetic biology and environmental protection should not only be aimed at school students, young children and the elderly need to be aware of this. In China, children have a two-month summer vacation, and our team sees this as a breakthrough. Our team cooperated with Fujiko Community and Qiliqiao Community to carry out two community science popularization activities for different groups during the summer vacation and outside the summer vacation.
On July 5th, our team went to Qiliqiao Community to give children and accompanying parents on vacation, the elderly synthetic biology, plastic pollution and garbage sorting knowledge. For kindergarten children, we have designed special courseware, using easy-to-understand words and comprehensible interaction, so that children can understand the knowledge while participating in it, increasing interactivity.
We first explained what synthetic biology is and its purpose, and we interested children by showing and introducing some of the instruments and cultures of the laboratory.
Next, we introduced the types of common plastics and the use of various plastics in life to the children, and the children actively thought about and listed the common plastic products in life under our introduction. We also introduced the harm caused by the misuse and disposal of plastics; It attracted the interest of most of the accompanying elderly and parents, and to our surprise, one parent asked us for the lecture after the end and forwarded it to other parents
When we introduced garbage sorting to the children, we unexpectedly found that many children already had some awareness of garbage sorting, which was a very good phenomenon, so we extended the presentation time in this part, allowing the children to explain the sorting knowledge to their parents and friends as small lecturers, which increased the interactivity.
After the presentation, we added contact information to some parents, who reported that their children had become interested in synthetic biology and developed environmental awareness through this presentation.
Overall, this science education was a great success and unexpected gain, and we also learned from it, and provided improvements for the next Fujiko community lecture to increase the interaction time and give the audience the opportunity to speak
On September 7, 2023, the Synthetic Biology team from Nanjing Tech University visited the Tengzi Community New Era Civilization Practice Station in Hongshan Street, where they conducted a popular science lecture on biology and pollution. The purpose of this lecture was to convey knowledge about synthetic biology, plastics, and environmental protection to the elderly residents in the community. Through everyday examples, we vividly introduced these concepts to the residents.
During the lecture, we actively interacted with the participating residents. Through the question and answer session, we encouraged them to think actively and express their views and insights on the topics of biology and pollution, making the lecture more dynamic. We particularly focused on discussing some small environmental protection measures that can be taken in daily life, which received agreement from the residents who expressed their intention to pass on the message to those around them. We also introduced the classification of plastics and emphasized which types of plastics should not be microwaved.
Through this activity, the community residents learned about the definition of synthetic biology, different types of plastics, and small environmental protection measures. To our delight, we found that many residents already had a deep understanding of environmental protection, with one aunt even being a volunteer for waste sorting. After the lecture on plastic types, we conducted random questions and found that most of the residents were able to answer the content we explained.
This activity not only increased the community residents' understanding of biology and pollution but also strengthened their awareness of environmental protection. The Synthetic Biology team from Nanjing Tech University hopes that through such popular science lectures, more people can participate in environmental protection actions and contribute to creating a better ecological environment together.
Picture book
We have created something amazing—a picture book that can be enjoyed from childhood to adulthood!Since picture books are primarily targeted towards children, they are often discarded after being read, which is environmentally unfriendly.Therefore, our team wanted to create a picture book that can be enjoyed from childhood to adulthood, providing a unique experience when read as a child and offering new knowledge when revisited as an adult.
Our story revolves around a little plastic living in the forest, telling the tale of its understanding of pollution, pollution management, and environmental stewardship.Within the illustrations of the picture book, we have also incorporated knowledge about genetic engineering in certain sections, thus achieving our goal of providing a comprehensive experience from childhood to adulthood.For children, we aim to convey the concepts of environmental conservation and reducing plastic usage.Furthermore, adults can also learn about synthetic biology through our picture book.
After completing the production of the picture book, we brought it to a primary school, where children eagerly started reading it and expressed their love for the story.We also interviewed a child who said, "The story is interesting, and I want to learn from the protagonist and become an environmentally conscious person."Moreover, they also mentioned that they would definitely revisit the picture book when they grow up. Although the content about synthetic biology is currently difficult for them to comprehend, they are highly interested in the subject and hope to learn more about it in the future.
Our aim is to promote environmental conservation, reduce plastic usage, and disseminate knowledge about synthetic biology through this picture book.By integrating these three aspects, children can gradually acquire knowledge and have multiple opportunities for utilization, reducing waste.The picture book is a tangible embodiment of our educational activities, and it has a lasting impact, continuing to educate even after the competition ends.
iGEM20
In collaboration with LZU-CHINA, we co-hosted the iGEM20 event. Through the joint efforts of multiple teams from different schools and regions, we filmed relevant real-life footage at various schools and scenic spots. These footage were edited together to create two breathtaking 30-minute videos for the 2023 iG20 event. These videos include educational introductions and presentations from each participating school. This material serves as a powerful asset for both our Education division and the HP division, while also creating a significant societal impact.
