Education

Our educational efforts were designed not only to introduce the field of synthetic biology but also to clearly articulate the specifics of our project—its motivation, methodology, and potential impact. We utilized a range of materials to tell this story. Social media graphics provided dynamic updates and captured attention online. Our team flag and logo established a consistent visual identity at events. Thematically designed posters and flyers under the "BIOPLUS—Enzyme Color" theme detailed the environmental rationale and innovative approach of our bio-enzyme dye project, with QR codes guiding interested individuals to our deeper online content. Promotional umbrellas, awarded as prizes, served as functional, mobile reminders of our project, extending its visibility into the community.

Our team flag features a background in the very colors our bio-enzymes can produce. Against this vibrant canvas, we have depicted an E. coli illustration alongside our team name, "Enzyme Color." This design directly and proudly showcases the tangible output of our project, serving as a bold statement of our capabilities at events and exhibitions.

The team logo is a clean and modern emblem centered on two stylized E. coli bacteria. This simple yet distinctive design symbolizes the core biological chassis of our project, ensuring immediate and memorable brand recognition across all our digital and physical platforms.

Our promotional posters are strategically designed to highlight the key advantages of our bio-enzyme dyes. Through compelling visuals and clear, concise text, they communicate the environmental benefits, color vibrancy, and innovation of our dyeing process, quickly capturing the interest of viewers and explaining our value proposition.

We designed informative flyers that offer a comprehensive overview of our project's background. They detail the environmental challenges posed by traditional textile dyes and introduce our synthetic biology solution. Acting as a quick-reference guide, these flyers are perfect for distribution during outreach activities to foster a deeper understanding of our work.

Our promotional umbrellas, awarded as engagement prizes, are printed with our team logo. These functional items become mobile advertisements, extending the visibility of our project into daily life across campus and the wider community with every use.

This event at the Hangzhou Low Carbon Science and Technology Museum targeted young children and their parents, aiming to build a foundational understanding and connect it to our work's purpose.

Objective: For children, the goal was to transform abstract biological concepts (cell structure, DNA, genetic code) into tangible, fun experiences through art and hands-on experiments, fostering early scientific curiosity. For parents, the objective was to frame synthetic biology as a solutions-oriented field and to explicitly introduce our bio-enzyme dye project as a specific, real-world application addressing environmental challenges in the textile industry.

The event started with the "Draw the Cell Structure" session, which quickly attracted many young participants. Tables were equipped with colored markers, paper, and cell structure diagrams. Volunteers guided the children in drawing the basic components of a cell—the cell membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus.

Team members used a "building blocks" analogy to explain the structure and function of cells as the fundamental units of life, turning the abstract microscopic world into tangible images. Through drawing, the children not only expressed creativity but also gained an intuitive understanding of cellular organization, completing their first lesson in life science.

In the "DNA Card Matching" activity, volunteers designed a card game based on the principle of DNA base complementary pairing. The children held cards representing the bases A, T, C, and G, and in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere, they found their matching partners: A with T, and C with G. After completing the matching task, we rewarded them with prizes such as umbrellas printed with our team's logo as rewards.

This activity helped develop the children's memory and reaction skills, while allowing them to visually understand the basic rules of genetic information transfer. Each successful match brought a sense of accomplishment, reflecting their growing interest in science. Through hands-on participation, the complex double helix structure became an accessible scientific game rather than a distant diagram in a textbook.

The "Fruit DNA Extraction Experiment" was the highlight of the event. Guided by our team members, the children mashed bananas, added a mixture of detergent and salt, filtered the solution, slowly poured in ice-cold ethanol, and used a glass rod to extract the thread-like DNA. This process replicated the basic steps of a molecular biology experiment, allowing the children to see the "blueprint of life" become visible.

During the experiment, the children asked frequent questions, and volunteers explained the scientific principles behind each step—from cell lysis to DNA precipitation. The appearance of white, filamentous DNA drew exclamations and applause. This was not only a transfer of knowledge but also a practical introduction to scientific methods and exploratory thinking.

Display boards and flyers themed "BIOPLUS—Enzyme Color" were set up at the event, showcasing the environmental benefits and innovative concepts of bio-enzyme dyes in the textile industry. Team members introduced the project background to parents and children, explaining how synthetic biology provides green solutions for traditional industries. QR codes on the posters extended the interaction, making it easy for interested families to follow the project's progress.

The event featured sequential, hands-on stations. In "Drawing Cell Structures," children used art to visualize life's basic unit, with volunteers using analogies to lay the groundwork for understanding cellular life. The "DNA Base Pairing with Cards" game made the abstract principle of genetic coding a social and engaging activity, with children successfully matching A-T and C-G pairs, demonstrating a grasp of this fundamental rule. The highlight was the "Hands-On DNA Extraction" from bananas. Witnessing the precipitation of white, filamentous DNA provided a powerful, tangible "aha!" moment, moving the concept of life's code from textbook to reality. Alongside these activities, our project display boards and conversations with team members effectively communicated to parents why our work matters, explaining how bio-enzyme dyes offer a sustainable alternative to traditional, polluting methods.

The gamified, discovery-based approach was exceptionally effective for this age group. The dramatic visual result of the DNA extraction was crucial for making a lasting impression. We confirmed that engaging parents is vital; they act as amplifiers for the learning experience and showed keen interest in the practical, environmental benefits of our specific iGEM project, asking thoughtful questions about its implementation and impact.

This consolidated section encompasses our engagements with diverse student audiences across four schools in Beijing, Nanjing, Hefei, and Singapore, ranging from broad inspirational lectures to specialized seminars and in-depth project sharing sessions for students from grades 9 to 12, all designed to illustrate the journey from scientific concept to application, with our project as the central case study.

Objective: Our objectives varied with the audience and format. For general high school audiences (e.g., the peer lecture at Beijing Haidian Future Academy), the primary aim was to inspire by connecting synthetic biology to global challenges and to present our bio-enzyme dye project as a tangible example of innovation. For more focused sessions, such as the UWCSEA seminar in Singapore on water sustainability, the goal shifted to fostering critical and systemic thinking, using our project to explore solutions to specific issues like industrial wastewater. For the most advanced sessions with senior students (Grades 9-11) from the international divisions of Nanjing Hankai Academy and Hefei No.1 High School, the objective was to provide a transparent, comprehensive look at the entire research and development process, from lab work to market considerations, highlighting the real-world challenges of scientific innovation.

At Beijing Haidian Future Academy, we delivered a synthetic biology-themed lecture to the entire student body. Starting with the basics of the iGEM competition, we used real-world examples from medicine, environmental protection, and energy to illustrate the field's applications, highlighting the innovation of our bio-enzyme dye technology. Through guided questions and interactive Q&A, we sparked interest, with one student remarking, "So biology isn’t just about studying life—it can also design life to solve practical problems!" This peer-to-peer communication effectively raised the project's profile.

A third event at UWCSEA centered on "A Sustainable Future for Water Resources." Conducted as a seminar, it explored the connection between water resource protection and synthetic biology. The session began with data on water pollution to stimulate discussion, followed by conversations about the impact of industrial wastewater on ecosystems.

Team members introduced the bio-enzyme dye project, explaining its potential to reduce wastewater pollution in the textile industry. Participants designed their "ideal green factory" in groups and proposed ideas for improving dyeing processes. This inquiry-based learning approach helped attendees gain scientific knowledge while developing systemic thinking and problem-solving skills.

A fourth event engaged students in grades 9–11 from the international division of Nanjing Hankai Academy and Hefei No.1 High School International Department. Titled "Bio-Enzyme Dyes: From the Lab to Industrialization," the session detailed industry challenges, using data to compare traditional dyes with bio-enzyme alternatives.

The sharing covered wet lab progress, including vector construction and protein expression, and dry lab achievements like market research and outreach. The interactive Q&A stood out, with students asking questions based on their grade level: ninth graders focused on safety, tenth graders on cost-effectiveness, and eleventh graders on industrialization challenges.

This layered discussion demonstrated the project's scientific rigor and helped participants understand the full research process. One student commented, "This lecture showed me the complete picture of scientific research—every step from idea to practice is full of challenges and appeal."

We maintained an active presence on leading Chinese social media platforms, including Tik Tok and RedNote. Through engaging short videos showcasing our experiments and dyeing outcomes, we demystified synthetic biology and highlighted our project’s progress, effectively building an online community and expanding our public impact.

Our online outreach served as a core component parallel to our offline activities, leveraging platforms like Tik Tok and RedNote to dynamically showcase project progress and scientific insights through short videos and visual posts. This effectively broadened our audience reach and fostered an online community. Upon reflection, however, while the reach was satisfactory, the audience stickiness and depth of interaction could be further improved. The content format lacked diversity at times, and the lack of sustained two-way dialogue with followers resulted in suboptimal engagement rates and topic resonance.

To enhance the impact, we should focus on content innovation and strategic adjustments: first, developing more serialized and narrative-driven content (e.g., "Lab Diaries," "Science Trivia") to build viewing anticipation and distinctiveness; second, proactively initiating topics, launching online challenges, or hosting live Q&A sessions to transform one-way broadcasting into collaborative interaction, thereby stimulating a stronger sense of participation among the audience; finally, utilizing platform analytics to understand audience preferences for more precise content delivery and personalized engagement. These steps will upgrade our online outreach from an "information release channel" to a vibrant "community interaction platform," more effectively empowering the overall communication strategy of our project.

Through this series of tailored events—from interactive museum activities and inspirational lectures to specialized seminars and in-depth project sharing—we successfully built a multi-tiered science communication ecosystem. This approach allowed us to move seamlessly from broad popularization to specialized exploration, ensuring our message was always anchored in the tangible work of our iGEM project.

These initiatives did more than expand our project's impact; they trained our team in targeted communication across diverse audiences. We witnessed the seeds of scientific curiosity being planted in children amazed by DNA, engaged peers enthusiastic about technological applications, and received valuable feedback through profound interactions. This process reinforced our belief that genuine innovation is refined through shared learning and inspired dialogue. We are committed to continuing the development of this educational ecosystem, creating more resources to ensure synthetic biology takes root in ever-wider ground, nurturing the scientific seeds of today into the world-changing innovations of tomorrow.