Human Practices
Virtual reality
During our discussions with companies in the energy industry we noticed it can be difficult to convey the concepts of molecular biology in an accurate and engaging way. To remedy this we developed a molecular VR experience, which places you inside the S. oneidensis bacterial cell and demonstrates a model of the system we have been working on in an immersive and exciting way. We displayed this at the Norwich science festival, UEA open day & at the iGEM Jamboree in Boston. Click the image for more details and a preview video.
Open day 10th September
On the 10th of September UEA had their annual Open Day. We saw this opportunity to not only tell potential students about iGEM but to also test out our Virtual Reality (VR). On the day we showcased our poster and revealed our VR animation. Click for more details.
Forum Event – The Norwich Science Festival
At Norwich science festival we will be displaying our molecular VR experience and giving a short talk about iGEM, synthetic biology and our project this year. Click the image for more information.
Captain Shewanella a Comic
The comic book was created to make the science behind our project more accessible for a younger audience. We learned at the summer school that most kids have a very negative perception of bacteria. We created Captain Shewanella to show bacteria can be a force for good. This was displayed this at the UEA open day and at the Norwich science festival. Click to the image to read the comic.
Synthetic Biology Blog
Alongside our other projects involved with getting members of the public involved in science, we created a blog aimed more towards secondary school and sixth form students to try and encourage them to take on synthetic biology as their field of study. Click here to find more information and maybe a lesson or two on molecular biology.
Hethel Innovation- Consultation with industry
In order to gain an industrial perspective on our project we spoke to Hethel Innovation, a local non-profit in the renewable energy industry. We also discussed the iGEM project and what synthetic biology can offer their industry. Click on the image for more information.
Sainsbury Centre of the Visual Arts
We ran a practical session for kids ages 8-12 as a part of the ‘Exploring the Invisible’ theme of the SCVA Summer school. Amongst other activities we ran a painting with bacteria practical, a germ glow kit experiment and discussed the ethics of experimenting with bacteria. For more information click on the image.