Introduction

One of the most pressing challenges in synthetic biology today is not just scientific innovation—but public understanding and accessibility. As university students deeply engaged in iGEM, we recognize that science should not be confined to academic laboratories or elite institutions. It should be democratized, visual, and inspiring, especially for the next generation.

In many communities, awareness of synthetic biology is still limited or misunderstood. Most young students associate biology with rote memorization, not creativity or problem-solving. Topics like gene editing, molecular design, or engineered probiotics are rarely mentioned in standard curricula. This disconnect leads to a missed opportunity: if students cannot imagine themselves as part of the synthetic biology movement, they will never pursue it. Education, therefore, became a natural and essential extension of our iGEM journey.

We also noticed a lack of exposure to project-based, interdisciplinary learning—especially in younger students and those from under-resourced areas. While iGEM emphasizes creativity, real-world impact, and systems thinking, many students in Taiwan and beyond are still being trained under test-driven systems with little room for scientific exploration or inquiry.

To address this, we designed and implemented two tailored education initiatives aimed at bringing synthetic biology closer to students at very different stages of their learning journey.

Education Activities

Kaohsiung Girls’ Senior High School

Bridging iGEM and STEAM

We collaborated with students from Kaohsiung Girls’ Senior High School, a school actively promoting STEAM education—an integrated approach combining Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. STEAM emphasizes cross-disciplinary creativity, critical thinking, and hands-on practice, making it an ideal framework for introducing synthetic biology.

We developed an exploratory workshop titled "Design Your Own Gene", where students used Benchling, a cloud-based DNA design tool, to create a hypothetical drought-resistant gene for wheat. This not only allowed them to practice gene design, but also taught them how synthetic biology can be used to solve real-world problems like food insecurity under climate change.

We also embedded core molecular biology concepts—transcription, translation, gene editing—into the workshop in a way that linked directly to their existing school curriculum and national exam standards. By doing this, we helped students realize that synthetic biology isn't just "future science"—it's part of the biology they already know, just applied in creative ways. Many students expressed that this was their first time thinking of science as something they could design, not just memorize.

Furthermore, we introduced them to the iGEM competition itself: its values, its spirit of innovation, and how their ideas could one day become real-world projects. Our hope is that this workshop planted a seed—not just for scientific understanding, but for ambition.

To further enhance the experience, we ran the workshop as a half-day STEAM camp and used the scenario of extreme weather and declining wheat production as a real-world anchor point. Students were encouraged to take on the role of scientists, using public tools like NCBI and Benchling to build drought-tolerant gene constructs. We were surprised by their enthusiasm and creativity.

This also helped us reflect on how age-appropriate content and framing are critical for engagement. Inspired by this, we’re now considering ways to expand outreach beyond schools—to reach not only students, but also the general public, and even older generations.

Nanyang Elementary School

Lighting the Spark in Rural Classrooms

In parallel, we reached out to Nanyang Elementary School, a large rural school in the mountainous region of Taichung with over 3,000 students. Recognizing the educational gap faced by children in remote areas, we aimed to introduce science in a fun, accessible, and empowering way.

Through a custom-designed educational board game and interactive storytelling, we explained how probiotics can help maintain gut health, and why beneficial bacteria are so important for our bodies. To boost engagement, we also brought probiotic cookies as rewards, combining science and health education into a joyful, memorable experience.

Most importantly, we introduced them to the concept of iGEM and synthetic biology in simple terms, sparking curiosity and imagination. We believe that even if they don’t fully grasp every technical detail now, what matters is that they remember science as playful, powerful, and possible.

We didn’t wait for these schools to find us—we reached out to them directly via email, because we believe every child deserves a chance to meet science where they are.

To make the learning more interactive, we designed a gut health-themed board game inspired by Monopoly. Each colored space on the board represents a different digestive health concept. Some promote good habits—like fiber-rich foods or yogurt—while others warn against unhealthy behaviors. This approach helped students learn through play, reinforcing ideas through action and movement. The game was a big hit, and the students especially loved winning probiotic cookies at the end.

Mingdao High School

A Simple Online Conversation, a Shared Curiosity

As part of our effort to promote iGEM and inspire interest in synthetic biology, we held a casual online exchange with students from Mingdao High School (MDHS). Rather than a formal workshop, this session served as a relaxed platform for both teams to share their current project progress, future goals, and motivations for participating in iGEM.

During the conversation, we introduced the basics of the iGEM competition and highlighted how synthetic biology can be used to solve real-world problems. The students from MDHS also shared their thoughts, and we had the chance to answer questions about team formation, project design, and what it’s like to work in a synthetic biology lab.

Although the discussion was brief, it was meaningful. We believe that even simple conversations like this can help build bridges between teams, spark curiosity, and encourage more students to explore the world of iGEM. It also reminded us that science communication doesn’t always require elaborate events—sometimes, just sharing experiences is enough to make an impact.

Beyond the online session, our relationship with Mingdao is ongoing—they're a long-standing iGEM team located just a short distance from our university. Even though our projects are in very different areas—ours focused on medicine, theirs on the environment—we still found opportunities to collaborate. They’ve expressed interest in visiting our lab to consult professors about experiments, and we offered to support them. In return, they have a professional baking classroom that we may use in the future to develop our probiotic dessert products. This kind of mutual support helps both teams grow, regardless of project direction.

GEMS Taiwan

Global Perspectives from a Local Team

We also had the opportunity to connect with GEMS Taiwan, a high school iGEM team composed of students from international schools. Their event-planning and organizational skills really stood out—some of them even felt more professional than us university students!

We began by sharing project updates, and soon the conversation expanded to topics like the IB curriculum and what it's like to study medicine in Taiwan. Since many of us are medical students and they’re mostly in 10th grade, it was a fun and insightful exchange.

The conversation wasn’t just about science. We also talked about how different educational systems shape students’ perspectives, and how international teams approach project planning. It was inspiring to see their confidence and creativity, and we’re hopeful that this connection will lead to more collaboration in the future.

International Exchange

Building a Global Education Network

Our passion for education doesn't stop at local impact. We are also actively engaging with international iGEM teams (such as NCKU, University of Macau, ETH Zurich, University of Hamburg and VIT university), which has already been thoroughly explained in the introduction of the Human Practices section, to exchange educational ideas and outreach strategies.

CSMU club fair

During the club fair at our university (September 15–16), our team took the chance to promote iGEM to a larger audience. The fair is one of the most important student events of the year, because every club can set up a booth in the open space and attract many students.We wanted to use this platform not only to share information about iGEM but also to let students experience our project in a fun and memorable way.

To catch attention, we prepared several creative items. We made our own toilet paper rolls and stickers with iGEM-related designs. These self-made gifts were funny, practical, and unique, so many students stopped by our booth to take a look. When they received the toilet paper or stickers, they became curious about iGEM, and this gave us the perfect chance to start a conversation and explain our project.

The highlight of our booth was the homemade desserts. These were not just ordinary snacks; we added probiotics inside them to connect directly to the theme of our iGEM project. Since our research focuses on the use of probiotics for human health, we thought it would be meaningful if students could “taste” this idea in a simple way. By enjoying sweet treats that also contained probiotics, our visitors could feel how science and everyday life can be linked together.Many students were surprised and excited to hear that the desserts included beneficial bacteria, and this made them more interested in our research.

Throughout the two-day event, our booth attracted a steady flow of students. Some came for the gifts, some for the desserts, but almost all of them left with new knowledge about iGEM and synthetic biology. We answered their questions, introduced the goals of our project, and encouraged them to think about how biotechnology can help solve health problems.

Overall, the club fair was not only a fun experience but also an effective way for our team to spread the iGEM spirit. By using creative items and probiotic desserts, we successfully showed that science can be accessible, enjoyable, and connected to daily life. This activity strengthened our bond with the university community and gave us confidence to keep promoting iGEM in more creative ways in the future.

Through these collaborations, we aim to learn from diverse cultural perspectives on science education, and to build shared educational tools—whether it’s global board games, joint curriculum modules, or international science videos.

We believe that iGEM education is not just about what we teach, but how we connect. By collaborating across borders, we can amplify our reach and inspire more young minds to see themselves as future scientists, engineers, and changemakers.