In April of 2023, IGEM presented at a student organization fair at Oklahoma State University. The fair showcased collegiate science organizations to elementary, middle, and high school students. The goal was to make students more informed and intrigued by the possibility of joining such organizations when they matriculate.
The members of IGEM created a poster board in which we detailed our project. This board went into the scientific details of the project and was targeted towards older students. We also created a coloring book to show younger students what synthetic biology is and a brief overview of our project.
IGEM also presented to five classes at Stillwater Middle School about synthetic biology and our project. First, we asked students what they knew about DNA, synthetic biology, and genetic modifications. We then explained these concepts to students before outlining our project and its role in the field of synthetic biology.
Next, we performed a DNA extraction experiment using swabbed samples from students' saliva. This experiment aimed to give students a more concrete image of DNA and expose them to basic scientific concepts. Furthermore, the presentations also gave junior high students a chance to meet and question college students in science-heavy fields.
Images from the Stillwater Middle School presentation are below:
