Expand on your silver medal activity by demonstrating how you have integrated the investigated issues into the design and/or execution of your project.We are trying to develop an implementable synthetic biology solution for the ceiling tile industry while working with Armstrong World Industries manufacturing plant problem. As it stands now, outside the lab and the premises of Armstrong’s ceiling tile plants, as we have found out through our public outreach events, the public is not well informed on synthetic biology technology. We value the importance of their contribution to steer the responsible development of this technology. This must be a continuing process, and one with measurable outcomes in increasing public awareness and knowledge on the safety, risks, and benefits of synthetic biology. When we collaborated with Building with Biology, and were chosen as a physical kit recipient, we found the content of their well planned kits to be capable of doing just that. We have targeted two age groups, middle and high school students, to have synthetic biology conversations with, through the use of Building with Biology materials.In addition to engaging with the public at our outreach events, and using our Building with Biology kits at public outreach events, we strived to have a longer lasting impact that would continue after iGEM by implementing activities into the curriculums of our two target groups; high school and middle school. Working with teachers at two high schools and a middle school, the high school students engage in a public forum, debating debate the risks, benefits, and safety of gene drives in mosquitos to eradicate mosquito borne disease, while the middle school students will engage in several smaller activities to learn about synthetic biology; topics such as genetically engineering organisms, the role of DNA, synthetic biology in the food industry, and the role of businesses and finances in synthetic biology. For more, please visit these pages: Sustainability,Building with Biology
