Team:XJTLU-CHINA/Engagement
The theme for XJTLU-CHINA human practice activities is “From Youth Research to Public Education”. New ideas generated through research can often produce benefits, which can influence the society, policy, health, the environment and even the quality of life. The organization of series of activities serves the purpose of inspiring teenagers and young adults to actively participate in research experience.
Education Training sessions:
1. STEM Lectures: This lecture is designed for the people who are teenagers and mid-aged people. We delivered a specific lecture on the practical application of mutagenesis and how biological sciences can provide help for achieving sustainability of the whole society. Besides, we made a brief introduction of synthetic biology and our project. Some teaching material was prepared about evolution and genetics. Q&A session had effectively cleared public perception.
2. Education lecture about mutation and health at Shanghai: This lecture is specifically prepared for teenagers from 8 and 15 years old. Based on their education background, we prepared lectures related to Synthetic Biology as well as mutation and health to broad their horizons and clear the public perception related to mutation and bioethics, such as genetically modified food.
3. Popular lectures for high school students: This training part is served for high school students from Grade 10-12 in order to provide the additional knowledge for students. Since we gathered students who show enormous interest in biological science field, our members were delicately designed popular lectures related to neuroscience, genetics and synthetic biology at a higher level to meet their expectations.
4.Undergraduate student research and novel biology seminar: This is specifically designed for undergraduate students. We aim at spreading the idea that undergraduates should actively participate in research activities so that they can effectively integrate their theory into real life, thereby facilitating their academic performance and scientific career in the future.
Education Interaction Activities:
1. Discussion Zone with the public: During the STEM Festival, we set up a big discussion zone in order to discuss the ethic issues about genetically modified food. It attracted a lot of people putting forward the idea on the given topic: Your attitude and potential consequences if genetically modified animal leave the lab and into practical use. During the interaction, we help the public to develop a more holistic and deeper insight towards the ethic issues in genetically modified food.
2. Cell Structure simulation with VR headset: During the STEM festival as well as the demonstration in Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, we applied VR headset to vivid simulation the complex cell mechanism, which largely attracted public. In particular, children who visited Shanghai Science and Technology Museum are interested in our VR headset. Their parents are all highly prized our team to inspire their children with vivid illustration. Most people are satisfied with the perfect integration with technology and sciences, which is also a significant interdisciplinary philosophy of synthetic biology.
Demonstration of synthetic biology and team project:
1. Public speech for seeking suggestions of project on campus During the activity, we highlighted the expected outcome of our muta in vivo project and the potential benefit for the society in future, especially the production of benefit mutation for agriculture and the practical use in pharmaceutical companies. Especially we found the reasons of repeated failure in conducting the experiments. Professors also provided us with suggestions in the ideas and designs of our team project.
2. Project demonstration at STEM festival Our demonstration of the team project for 2016 attracted much attention from business leaders, young adults and even the senior citizens. The picture below showed the curiosity to our project. They told us that they care more about how our mutagenesis can help cure severe diseases and wonder how the project could be applied into practical use. This type of information inspired us to work hard and consider more about how our project can help the society to achieve sustainability.
3. Experience interchange at XJTLU Fablab Student research groups at XJTLU get together to share the experiences and detailed program to other research groups throughout the whole process of conducting research program. We introduced synthetic biology to them by highlighting the multi-disciplinary requirements and the relative relationship with the association with knowledge in electronic or engineering.
