Education is the Foundation of Society

Ensuring that scientific knowledge is accessible to everyone is crucial to us. In this context, involving children and teenagers in scientific culture and projects becomes mandatory.

First and foremost, we must convey complex scientific ideas in a way that is understandable for all. Science should be engaging and free from complex language, making it accessible to everyone.

Moreover, young minds, particularly those of children and teenagers, are naturally inquisitive and open to new experiences. By involving them in hands-on projects and discussions, we not only nurture their curiosity but also ignite a passion for science from a young age. It's an approach that empowers them to ask questions, seek answers, and cultivate a genuine interest in exploring their surroundings.

Furthermore, fostering a scientific culture among the youth ensures a pipeline of future scientists, innovators, and critical thinkers. It lays a foundation that enables them to contribute significantly to solving the complex challenges of our time, from environmental sustainability to healthcare advancements.

In essence, making science accessible and involving individuals of all ages in scientific endeavors creates a harmonious cycle of curiosity, learning, and innovation. It empowers the next generation and all those willing to participate to become informed, engaged, and proactive in their journey of understanding and exploring the wonders of science in the world around them.

Where to start?

We aimed for a big radio debut. This way, we could demonstrate to a large part of the population that science is far more than just rigorous study (which is entirely true), but it can also be enriched by engaging in fascinating projects.

We also appeared in the newspaper, and we were granted another interview. People were starting to learn who we were; it seemed like we were doing something right.

June 28th, 2023

INTERVIEW IN COPE RADIO

The Cope Navarra radio gave us the opportunity to discuss our project and promote our activities. In this interview our teammate Raúl Carrasco and our advisors Sergio Maraña and María Roldán briefly explained some of our goals and raised awareness of the importance of the circular economy in the wine industry. It was a great way of reaching a wider audience rather than just people within the field of science.

August 8th, 2023

ARTICLE IN DIARIO DE NAVARRA

On Tuesday, August 8th, we appeared in the Diario de Navarra newspaper, one of the main newspapers in our city. They featured an article about us, explaining the international synthetic biology competition, iGEM, in which we are participating, as well as the project we are working on. The article began with a brief introduction of our team, students from the Public University of Navarra, explaining the different degrees that make up the team and the location where the competition will take place. It continued with an extensive explanation of the project, detailing what resveratrol is, its benefits due to its antioxidant capacity, such as its role in cardiovascular protection and the regulation of blood glucose levels.

The article concluded with the introduction of team members, the researchers involved, and the advisors who are assisting us. These advisors include members of the team that participated in the competition last year, university professors, professors responsible for the Synthetic Biology Chair at UPNA, and directors of the Multidisciplinary Institute of Applied Biology and the National Center for Food Technology and Safety (IMAB and CNTA).

The publication of this article was a great idea to inform and bring the entire Navarrese population closer to the biotechnological projects that are being developed in our community.

August 16th, 2023

INTERVIEW IN RNE RADIO

We had an interview with RNE (Radio Nacional Española), in which Estíbaliz Larranizar ( main researcher of the group) and Maria Garde (member of the team) talked about the project in order to raise awareness about it among the Spanish society.

Besides, we also talked about some general information regarding biological terms and frequently asked questions.

This interview was emitted live into the national radio, but was also published on the web of RNE, having an on-line access to it (our interview starts in the -20:50 minute).

Link to the Interview

We wrote a Book!

We thought that writing a book would allow us to present our project in a unique yet impactful manner. We even translated it into English, Spanish, and Basque. The journey was both remarkable and demanding, but we're eager to share it, hoping that people will enjoy it.

August-October, 2023

The Story of an Extraordinary Grape

One of the objectives we have as a team is to make our project the project of many people, and connect with society at all levels: academic, business and dissemination. That is why we have written a short dissemination book about our project, aimed at high school students but also at the general public and other iGEM teams. The objective: learn about resveratrol, synthetic biology, wine industry and the circular economy in a simple, enjoyable and joyful way. But also introduce our project, its importance and value, as well as the work that we are doing as a team to achieve it.

Furthermore, its design, made by a graphic designer, Ana Erro, together with our teammate Cecilia Navaz, is eminently graphic and inspiring, and could be the starting point for other iGEM teams in following years, making the drawings and design of it more appealing than the WIKI's. The book is narrated by a grape (Viti Navarro), which fully represents our project since the main source of resveratrol is grapes and wine. The name Viti Navarro refers to both the grape (the scientific name Viti vinifera) and our region, Navarra. We hope that this book will be a source of inspiration for other teams, and will be enjoyable for all types of people curious about science, We hope that this book is a source of inspiration for other teams, and serves as a source of enjoyment for all types of people curious about health, science, food and agronomy.

Learning about Teaching

Knowing how to teach is essential for successful divulgative activities. Effective teaching ensures clear communication, audience engagement, adaptability to diverse learners and accurate yet understandable information sharing, amongst other aspects. These skills help connect with a broad audience and promote understanding and appreciation of science. That's why we decided to interview an expert on the subject. In this way we would be able to express ourselves better when talking to people about our project, specially to children and teenagers.

August 21st, 2023

Summarized interview to Ainhara Ureta Serrano (English philologist, English teacher, and holds a master's degree in translation), Irati Latienda Aizkorbe (Primary School Teacher) and Maialen Lategui Díez (Primary School Teacher)

Interviewer: How can something relatively complex be explained for better understanding?

Ainhara: A good way is to show them a video, as many students retain visual information better. You can also ask a student who has understood the topic to explain it since they likely know where their peers might struggle.

Irati: I think it's ideal to dedicate the necessary time. Starting by activating prior knowledge on the topic and gradually introducing it is a good approach. Visual support elements, such as images or videos, can make comprehension easier.

Maialen: It requires time, patience, and activating prior knowledge. Techniques like brainstorming can be used to assess students' existing knowledge on the topic. Visual support, whether through PowerPoint presentations, interactive materials, or manipulative resources, is significant. Additionally, creating visual summaries and schematics in the form of mind maps can be helpful.

Interviewer: Any advice for giving an oral presentation?

Ainhara: If possible, choose a topic you're passionate about; this makes it harder to draw a blank. Instead of memorizing a script, create a keyword outline to help you remember things. Use visual aids for engagement and as a backup if you forget. If you get very nervous, don't go out with the script; having a pen or something to hold can be reassuring.

Irati: For a successful oral presentation, the most crucial aspect is extensive practice before the classroom presentation, ensuring a thorough understanding of all concepts and managing the time effectively. Having a visual aid that guides both the presenter and the audience is important (it should include images or concise phrases, but not lengthy text).

Maialen: As for advice, it's beneficial to practice relaxation exercises beforehand to reduce nervousness. Including visual elements in their presentations, like in their PowerPoint slides, can help to mentally connect ideas and prevent going blank. Patience is crucial as well, it might be challenging for some people. It's something that needs work, and everyone progresses at their own pace.

Interviewer: How can students be more involved in a debate?

Ainhara: I think debates are a great idea, but it's crucial to choose suitable groups carefully; otherwise, it can lead to conflicts. I'd start by proposing trivial topics with little controversy, having them argue in groups instead of individually in front of the whole class to reduce anxiety. After they've practiced this way several times, I'd gradually introduce more complex subjects and have them work in smaller groups until they can do it individually.

Irati: From my perspective, getting students actively engaged in a debate can be a challenging task (age can influence this). Having students take turns moderating may increase their motivation. Additionally, the choice of the debate topic is influential; I believe it's essential to pre-teach the topic in the classroom to activate prior knowledge. It would also be beneficial to explain to students how a debate works beforehand.

Maialen: It's crucial, in the first place, to familiarize students with the topic under discussion and expose them to different perspectives on it. Teaching oratory techniques and public speaking skills, such as projecting one's voice and presenting arguments, is essential.

Presenting our project in person

Thanks to the knowledge we gained throughout our project, we were ready to present our ideas to a diverse audience, including high school students, newcomers to university, advanced-level undergraduates, adults and even children. Speaking to experts like Ainhara, Irati and Maialen and having had the chance to be in the radio were of great assistance to us. We were much more confident and ready to talk about our project!

September 1st, 2023

UPNA PRESENTATION DAY

We had the opportunity to welcome the new first-year students at UPNA, standing alongside NavBiotec (Association of Biotechnologists of Navarre). These students were filled with enthusiasm on their first day of school and were eager to learn more about our project.

Together with NavBiotec, we spoke to students who showed interest in the fields of health and biology. We shared our project with them to emphasize that pursuing a university degree involves not only academic studies but can also include participating in projects like ours, which enhance learning and teamwork.

Several students expressed interest in our project and may consider getting involved next year. Additionally, we even had the chance to conduct a brief interview on television. It's always a pleasure for us to be able to give visibility to our project to show people how fulfilling science can be.

September 29th, 2023

EUROPEAN RESEARCHERS' NIGHT

On this day, the team took part in the European Researchers' Night, an international event that is held every year simultaneously in hundreds of European cities, with the aim of popularising science in society and bringing research and academic work in all scientific fields closer to the general public. In our city, the European Researchers' Night was organised by our university, the Public University of Navarra. Throughout the afternoon and into the evening of that day, 32 outreach activities were conducted by more than 80 scientists from the University.

We accompanied other researchers and had a stand at our disposal where, as a practical demonstration session, we were able to disseminate our project and bring science closer to children, young people, adults and the elderly. To involve people in the project, we brought food containing resveratrol: blueberries, grapes, wine and chocolate, and explained its importance and current applications of the antioxidant. Children and adults were also delighted to see some of the fluorescent bacterial colony plates that we brought along, which they saw under the transilluminator once it had darkened, strictly following all safety measures and always under supervision. In addition, we also had the opportunity to listen to the people who approached us and to walk through the rest of the informative activities. Some of the exciting outreach activities we were able to attend were: an amazing acoustic levitation activity, learning to (PH)aint with colours, playing with an interactive 3D hologram in real time, the "Tastings with science" or understanding complex mathematical concepts with puzzles and 3D printed figures. To sum up, it was a joyful evening in which we were able to contribute to bringing research work closer to the general public, exchange scientific knowledge and disseminate the key role of science in our society.

October 2nd, 2023

TALK

During the present day, our team leader Raúl Carrasco presented the project to the students of the subject "Secondary metabolism of plants: signification and biotechnology applications", offered at our university to the students of the fourth year of Biotechnology and Sciences. During this presentation, we had the opportunity to explain the importance of resveratrol at physiological level for plants, and especially the natural biosynthetic route in grapes, which we have used for bioproduction. Thus, we were able to share our experience during these months of work in the laboratory, learning about Genetic Engineering and Molecular Biology, and review the importance of the bibliographic search and databases to find the genes, and their possible optimisation for the project.

We also had the opportunity to listen to the students of the subject and the teacher in charge, Idoia Ariz, who shared very interesting and important information about the genes that make resveratrol biosynthesis possible; to discuss alternative genetic engineering routes using other genes and to compare relative performances in the literature using genes from other organisms. Thus, it was a very interesting session that allowed us to present our project, but also to expand on what we have done and to evaluate possible optimisations in the future development of the project. And especially to connect our research to the development and education of more of the students of our university.

October 5th, 2023

TALK AT SCHOOL

As a team we think bringing science to students is an absolute necessity. It opens doors to understanding, sparks innovation, hones critical thinking, and equips them to thrive in our high-tech world. In short, it's the key to a brighter future for individuals and society alike.

Because of that, on October 5th Cecilia Navaz gave a class at Santa María la Real (Maristas) to future scientists about our project: Resvinolife. We gave them some advice about choosing a degree and presented the options our university offers them at one point in their lives they need to make a lot of decisions about their future.

Then we introduced them to the benefits of resveratrol, explained to them how we came up with the idea, and communicated our will of contributing to the zero waste initiative showing them in the most amusing way we could biology and genetic concepts to explain the biosynthetic route and what is synthetic biology.

We are so glad about having had the opportunity of connecting with students and giving them some kind of TED talk as the ones we received a few years ago when we were in highschool. After this scientific dissemination class we've learnt that if you are passionate about the subject you are teaching, sharing that enthusiasm with students is a source of immense joy. Trying to inspire others to develop an interest in something you love is a rewarding experience.

October 6th, 2023

FILM FORUM: "MAKE PEOPLE BETTER (V.O.S.E)"

On Friday, October 6th, we organized a screening of the film "Make People Better (V.O.S.E.)" where we also presented the project to the attendees and held a discussion with experts in bioethics and genetic engineering. In order to spread the message, we contacted “Pamplonews”, a thriving public WhatsApp community dedicated to daily communication of all available activities in Pamplona, it has thousands of members at the moment.

"Make People Better” is a documentary based on real events that makes us reflect on the use of genetic engineering in humans. It reveals the unknown story of the historic scientific event by He Jiankui from the perspective of those who experienced it, with never-before-seen interviews and a deep bioethical reflection.

The team had the opportunity to explain the ResvinOlife project, and a debate followed featuring Gerardo Pisabarro (Professor of Microbiology, Public University of Navarre), Uxue Itoiz (Director General of Energy Transition, Strategic Projects, and S4, Government of Navarre), Agurtzane Martinez (Director General of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Government of Navarre), Rafael Aldabe (Researcher in Gene Therapy and Gene Expression Regulation Program, CIMA), Mirja Rotinen (Ramon y Cajal Researcher in Cancer, Public University of Navarre), and Javier Martín (Doctor in Philosophy of Law, Public University of Navarre).

During the debate, the film was discussed from an ethical standpoint, genetic engineering was explored, and several attendees actively participated. It resulted in an afternoon filled with science, where the team received support from both the public and experts, leading to very enriching conclusions. A debate even started between the audience and the speakers!

October 20th, 2023

TALK AT SCHOOL

Following Cecilia's lead, Xavier visited his school to talk to students about science, career choices, and their project. Highlighting the diverse opportunities in science, he emphasized those aviable at the UPNA. He also introduced iGEM to them, inviting the emerging scientists to participate in future years.

Overall it was a great experience that all of us would have loved to experience when we were younger.