Notebook

Date	Plan/Agenda
03/09/2025	1st Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team held its first orientation to establish communication platforms and share initial resources. Members were introduced to action items for joining iGEM platforms and preparing for future work.
03/16/2025	2nd Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team reviewed onboarding tasks and continued orientation by finalizing the member roster and discussing leadership elections. We were also introduced to our research focus on fruit peel degradation (pectin/PG) along with award criteria and competition requirements.
03/23/2025	3rd Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team continued onboarding by reviewing readings and preparing for upcoming journal club deadlines. We also discussed the leadership election process and learned more about our research direction. Additionally, team members were officially assigned to subgroups (Wiki, SDG, Human Practices, and Experiments).
03/30/2025	4th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) Team leader, co-leader, and sub-team leader candidates presented their speeches, followed by the voting process. This meeting marked the transition into defining the team’s leadership structure.
04/06/2025	5th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team reviewed award strategies and judging rubrics for special awards. Professor Lee also delivered a lecture on polygalacturonase (PG), a pectinase enzyme central to our research project.
04/13/2025	6th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team reviewed progress and continued refining competition strategies and upcoming plans. Professor Lee provided another lecture on the research topic to deepen understanding.
04/20/2025	7th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) Competition Strategies & Research Lecture: The team continued discussions on competition strategies and upcoming plans. Professor Lee also gave a further lecture expanding on our research topic.
04/27/2025	8th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team checked progress across subgroups and discussed near-term deliverables. Members coordinated on timelines and shared ideas for upcoming tasks to keep the project on track.
05/04/2025	9th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The meeting focused on reviewing ongoing work and clarifying responsibilities. The team also outlined next steps and prepared for upcoming deadlines. The team held follow-up discussions to monitor overall progress and adjust plans as needed. Members also talked about upcoming activities and shared feedback on current work.
05/13/2025	10th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team shared updates on subgroup work and coordinated next steps. Members discussed short-term priorities and upcoming deadlines.
05/20/2025	11th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The meeting focused on progress updates and preparations for upcoming activities. The team also outlined tasks to keep all groups aligned.
05/25/2025	12th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team focused on onboarding tasks, including wet lab sign-ups, group-specific assignments, and preparation for the upcoming journal club. Members were reminded to stay on schedule.
06/01/2025	13th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team continued onboarding by reviewing wet lab sign-ups and team-specific responsibilities. Members, in assigned groups, also prepared for the upcoming Journal Club #2 in Week 4.
06/15/2025	14th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The session featured Journal Club #2 presentations (accompanied by a discussion session) followed by a short team progress check.
06/22/2025	15th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team reviewed team-specific responsibilities and prepared for the upcoming in-person meeting on June 28. Further plans and action items for in-person activities were also discussed.
06/28/2025	16th Whole Team Meeting (In-person) The team held its first in-person meeting with a competition lecture, professional individual photoshoot, and group photoshoot. Members also gathered in subgroups for focused discussions and planning.
07/05/2025	17th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team used this session to share creative ideas for outreach and communication. Members also discussed strategies to make project deliverables more engaging and accessible.
07/12/2025	18th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The meeting focused on subgroup coordination and project planning. Action points were assigned to ensure steady progress across all areas.
07/19/2025	19th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The meeting focused on checking overall progress and aligning subgroup efforts. Members shared updates and discussed short-term goals.
07/26/2025	20th Whole Team Meeting (In-person) The meeting served as a study hall for subgroups (SDG, Human Practices) to work on their tasks and further interviews. Members also caught up on team-specific deadlines and progress updates.
08/03/2025	21th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team held follow-up discussions on ongoing projects and coordinated next steps. Progress across subgroups was briefly reviewed.
08/10/2025	22th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team reviewed subgroup progress and upcoming deadlines. Members were also introduced to details about the Jamboree in Paris.
08/17/2025	23th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The meeting centered on upcoming deadlines and refining tasks. Members also discussed ways to stay on track with project milestones.
08/24/2025	24th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) This meeting centered on reviewing ongoing experimental work and integrating it with wiki and design efforts. Subgroups shared updates to ensure consistency across all outputs.
08/31/2025	25th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The session was used as a working meeting, where subgroups actively edited drafts, organized data, and coordinated on immediate tasks. Quick check-ins kept the pace efficient.
09/07/2025	26th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) The team discussed mid-term goals and how to balance experimental, wiki, and outreach responsibilities. Members also identified risks and brainstormed backup plans.
09/14/2025	27th Whole Team Meeting (Virtual) This meeting highlighted communication and public engagement strategies. The team talked about social media, external outreach, and preparing to showcase their project story effectively.

Date	Mode	Plan/Agenda
06/02/2025	(Virtual)	Yun Seongjun, PhD Interview Interview Summary: discussed the potential benefits and limitations of using genetically engineered bacteria for food waste decomposition, highlighting safety concerns, public perception of GMOs, and regulatory challenges.
06/03/2025	(Virtual)	Robert L Paarlberg Interview Interview Summary: Public resistance to GMOs stems from lack of direct benefits and fear, while CRISPR is seen as more acceptable due to its precision and absence of foreign DNA transfer. Changing public opinion is difficult, so companies should focus on clear benefits and safety, as environmental release of engineered bacteria could raise concerns similar to past controversies.
06/06/2025	(Virtual)	Jae Sung Cho Interview Interview Summary: Dr. Cho advised optimizing bacterial growth conditions such as media, temperature, and methylation requirements for successful transformation, and emphasized using literature from related species for guidance. He recommended clear problem framing, strong biosafety measures like non-natural amino acids or inducible systems, and public engagement to address GMO concerns, noting that negative perceptions stem from early controversies and corporate framing.
06/09/2025	(Virtual)	Sheila Jasanoff Interview Interview Summary: Experts advised grounding the project in strong literature, transparent risk-benefit assessments, and public engagement to address both safety and ethical concerns. They stressed demonstrating the urgency of food waste, planning for unintended consequences, and ensuring collaboration between scientists, policymakers, and society to align innovation with trust and democratic values.
06/28/2025	(In-Person)	Citizen Surveys & Interviews Interview Summary: Conducted interviews to collect various thoughts on food wastes (related with our topic).
06/29/2025	(Virtual)	Jangchung-dong Wangjokbal Interview Interview Summary: The project began in 2021 as part of Korea’s Smart Eco Factory initiative, aiming to achieve zero waste and integrate renewable energy in food manufacturing. While initial plans to use microbial fermentation for waste recycling faced technical, regulatory, and cost barriers, the focus shifted to heat-based treatment; for future commercialization of biotech solutions, key factors include cost competitiveness, regulatory compliance, reusability of microbes, and ensuring profitability for long-term sustainability.
07/18/2025	(In-Person)	Exhibition Corporate Fair Interviews API Tech: Interviews to discuss product and project-related questions. Lock & Greenholic Co., Ltd: Interviewed about consumer attitudes and behaviors regarding fruit peel waste disposal, their awareness and perception of genetically modified enzymes, and their openness to using microbial technology for waste decomposition PhytorySearch: The team interviewed industry experts and consumers to understand perspectives on fruit peel waste management, public attitudes toward genetically modified and microbe-based decomposition technologies, and the technical, regulatory, and ethical considerations involved in implementing such solutions. Ttogabi Yoonsseu: The interview explored how participants handle food waste, their willingness to use fruit peel decomposition via probiotics, and, from a food producer’s perspective, what standards or regulations might apply to upcycling processes intended for use in food products. Korea Agricultural Policy Insurance & Finance Service (APFS): The interview focused on how the APFS evaluates inventions or technologies that can enhance farmers’ long-term financial well-being, the criteria used to assess whether new agricultural technologies provide financial stability or pose risks, and recommended data-driven approaches for student research teams to support marginalized farming communities, such as elderly or small-scale farmers. Korea Agricultural Policy Insurance & Finance Service (APFS): The discussion explored which technologies or inventions are most likely to enhance farmers’ long-term financial welfare and what criteria or benchmarks companies consider when deciding to invest in agricultural insurance or related programs. Cotegreen Agricultural Corporation: The interview addressed how technologies for efficiently processing agricultural waste can support eco-friendly farming and fertilizer development, the validation and testing steps required to translate lab-developed technologies to real-world farm applications, and the potential for byproducts from food waste decomposition to be safely used as fertilizers or soil amendments. Baekkob Food: The interview focused on how the company manages food waste, such as fruit and vegetable peels, generated during production, and which factors—like cost and operational feasibility—they prioritize when implementing waste-reduction technologies. Viva Nature AgriScience: The interview explored the company’s perspective on how synthetic biology–based waste-processing technologies might impact crop environments, and whether interactions between soil microbes and seed growth are studied or experimentally considered when developing new plant varieties. Brocos Co., Ltd: The interview focused on the motivation for developing healthy products from ingredients like broccoli stems, how the public perceives functional foods derived from nontraditional plant parts, and whether there has been any consumer resistance to products made from parts of the plant that would otherwise be discarded. Korea Agency of Agri-Food Science & Technology Planning: The interview addressed how new agricultural technologies are evaluated for their environmental impact and what ethical considerations researchers should account for when designing synthetic biology–based projects. Modooang Winery: The question asks whether the respondent disposes of grape skins directly into the soil. GayaBio: The interview explored how the company approaches carbon neutrality in livestock farming, the role of animal welfare in its R&D processes, and the contribution of the company to shaping the future of sustainable agriculture and economy. LuxBiome: The interview explored the company’s strategies for achieving carbon neutrality in livestock farming, the role of animal welfare in R&D, its contribution to shaping sustainable agriculture, and how human microbiome research, bioinformatics, and systems biology are applied in developing practical health solutions and products. Entec Bio-S: The interview focused on how Entech Bios designs plants or microbes using synthetic biology to improve biomass conversion efficiency, the company’s unique strengths compared to domestic and international competitors in biomass technologies, and its goals or strategies for expanding or exporting these technologies abroad. Phyto Research: The company explained that it uses approaches to optimize growing conditions and increase crop yields, and the interview explored the reasons behind adopting this systematic method, such as improving efficiency, sustainability, and overall production quality. Food Connect Co., Ltd: The interview asked whether there are specific standards that microbial upcycling processes must meet to ensure the safety of food/beverages, and whether producers perceive public awareness and acceptance of such processes as having improved.
07/26/2025	(In-Person)	Survey of Merchants at Gwangjang Market Fruit Vendor / Fruit Seller: The interview asked what the concerns are when disposing of fruit peels and whether the participant would be willing to use a bacterial method that could break down the peels and convert them into fertilizer if such a technology were developed. Ssuk’s Clerk: The interview explored how participants handle fruit peel waste at home or in stores, the costs involved, their familiarity with and attitudes toward genetically modified enzymes, whether they consider current waste disposal methods eco-friendly, and their willingness to use microbial technologies for decomposing fruit peels. Apple-Watermelon Juice Vendor: The interview asked what concerns participants have when disposing of fruit peels from juice products, the costs associated with disposal, their opinion on technologies that could decompose the peels, and whether they would feel uncomfortable using genetically modified enzymes for this purpose. K-Snacks Art Food Owner: The interview explored participants’ concerns when disposing of fruit peels, including issues like pests, their attitudes toward using genetically modified enzymes for decomposition, whether they consider current disposal methods eco-friendly, their willingness to adopt microbial decomposition technologies, and any additional features they would like such technologies to include.

Date	Mode	Plan/Agenda
03/29/2025	(Virtual)	Introduction to Human Practices (What is HP, Integrated HP).
04/05/2025	(Virtual)	Identified stakeholder cohorts; discussed outreach approaches.
04/12/2025	(Virtual)	Sourced 30 stakeholders per member across Socioeconomic, Environmental, Ethical/Awareness, Scientific/Technological.
04/19/2025	(Virtual)	Continued stakeholder sourcing and individual feedback.
05/25/2025	(Virtual)	Drafted cold email template; sent outreach emails to stakeholders.
06/01/2025	(Virtual)	Prepared interview questionnaires for Yun Seongjun, PhD.
06/08/2025	(Virtual)	Finished stakeholder interviews and prepared for further interviews.
06/15/2025	(Virtual)	Edited questionnaire for Jangchung-dong Wangjokbal; organized interview status; prepared in-person initiatives (6/28).
06/19/2025	(Virtual)	Organized interview status; prepared in-person initiatives (6/28); organized Google Drive.
06/22/2025	(Virtual)	Prepared for 7/18 Exhibition and 7/26 Gwangjang Market; organized Google Drive.
07/06/2025	(Virtual)	Finished company descriptions.
07/12/2025	(Virtual)	Continued prep for 7/18 & 7/26 initiatives; organized Google Drive.
07/20/2025	(Virtual)	Prepared questionnaires for 7/26 Gwangjang Market; organized Google Drive.
08/03/2025	(Virtual)	Finished interview transcriptions.
08/10/2025	(Virtual)	Organized interview status & Google Drive; began Integrated HP.
08/18/2025	(Virtual)	Began Integrated HP; created section docs and drafts.
08/24/2025	(Virtual)	Continued Integrated HP.
08/31/2025	(Virtual)	Continued Integrated HP.
09/07/2025	(Virtual)	Integrated HP framework; Instagram posts; created shared progress doc; added diagrams.

Date	Mode	Plan/Agenda
03/29/2025	(Virtual)	The first SDG meeting includes an icebreaker, a discussion on SDGs and stakeholders, and short lectures on judging criteria and past examples. The team also introduces its project: engineering bacteria to produce the PG enzyme to speed up fruit peel degradation for sustainability.
04/05/2025	(Virtual)	The team reviewed the basics of SDG alignment and shared reflections on why their project matters in a sustainability context. Members also began considering which stakeholder groups would be most relevant.
04/12/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting finalized stakeholder groups and outreach methods. Each SDG lead will contact relevant organizations (e.g., food producers, public health agencies, environmental companies, and educational institutions) using websites, scholarly sources, LinkedIn, and direct emails. Members are tasked with sourcing 30 stakeholders for their assigned goal.
04/19/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting focused on checking progress with assigned stakeholder research. Members exchanged early findings and discussed challenges in identifying reliable points of contact.
04/26/2025	(Virtual)	The team continued with stakeholder outreach planning, emphasizing clear communication strategies. Discussions also touched on how to connect project goals with broader SDG themes.
05/03/2025	(Virtual)	This meeting was used to share updates from tasks and refine the overall outreach approach. Members highlighted the importance of documenting progress for future use.
05/10/2025	(Virtual)	The group discussed potential interviewees and brainstormed questions for interviews. Members also shared ideas for simple outreach materials.
05/17/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting centered on preparing for upcoming deadlines and ensuring each member stayed on track. Members agreed to finalize initial drafts of outreach content before the next session.
05/25/2025	(Virtual)	SDG Meeting 4 focused on checking in with individual tasks from Meeting 3 and discussing future directions for the project after May 20.
06/07/2025	(Virtual)	The team reviewed outreach responses received so far and discussed how to follow up. The conversation also included ideas for how to integrate stakeholder feedback into project planning.
06/14/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting focused on project planning, aligning with SDG goals, and preparing for stakeholder outreach. It concluded with action steps to continue engagement and move the project forward.
06/21/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting centered on planning SDG-related activities to expand outreach and education. The team decided to create an interactive STEM lesson for YouTube highlighting food waste, biotechnology, and the SDGs, and to design visual materials like posters or infographics illustrating the lifecycle of food waste and sustainable enzyme solutions.
06/28/2025	(Virtual)	The team reviewed ongoing progress and prepared for the upcoming orientation session. Members shared updates from their subgroups and aligned on next steps to keep work consistent.
07/05/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting centered on final preparations for orientation activities. Members discussed logistics for distributing materials and how to introduce the project effectively.
07/14/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting focused on preparing activities for the upcoming in-person orientation, including a survey and pamphlet distribution. Members checked progress and set action items such as interview preparation, pamphlet design, survey setup, and brainstorming social media content.
07/21/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting focused on preparing for the upcoming expo, including brainstorming ideas for an interactive lesson video. The team also planned future actions and activities connected to key SDGs: Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Quality Education.
07/28/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting was dedicated to wrapping up unfinished tasks from the previous week, starting work on the interactive lesson video, and selecting activities from the brainstormed ideas to move forward with.
08/04/2025	(Virtual)	The team checked in on progress with the interactive lesson video and other outreach tasks. Discussions also included adjusting the timeline to balance multiple deadlines.
08/11/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting focused on completing remaining tasks, reviewing stakeholder responses, and beginning work on the top-voted activity. Members also planned to upload videos and photos from the recent in-person visit to Google Drive.
08/18/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting centered on completing pending tasks, finalizing slides for the interactive lesson video, and beginning recording. The team also worked on drafting a script for the fruit peel visual and started developing slides for that activity.
08/26/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting focused on recording assigned sections of the project and beginning the editing process.
09/01/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting focused on checking progress from previous tasks, continuing work on projects, and discussing actions and activities.
09/08/2025	(Virtual)	The team provided updates on ongoing editing and outreach tasks. Members reflected on lessons learned from recent activities and adjusted future plans accordingly.
09/15/2025	(Virtual)	The final meeting emphasized wrapping up deliverables and ensuring everything was prepared for submission.

Date	Mode	Plan/Agenda
03/30/2025	(Virtual)	The team held an icebreaker session and introduced members to each other. Roles and responsibilities were briefly outlined, giving everyone an overview of the deliverables team’s tasks.
04/06/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting focused on discussing the team’s role in the overall project. Members explored how media & branding would contribute to goals.
04/13/2025	(Virtual)	Members shared personal strengths and creative skills, deciding how they might apply to logo, apparel, and media work. The team also began discussing early competition strategies.
04/20/2025	(Virtual)	The group reviewed expectations for Wiki & Deliverables and talked about timelines. Members brainstormed ideas for branding concepts.
04/27/2025	(Virtual)	This session centered on setting communication norms and working platforms. Members also reflected on how to stay organized.
05/04/2025	(Virtual)	The team kicked off design brainstorming for the t-shirt, sharing sketches and references. Members compared concepts and styles for consistency.
05/11/2025	(Virtual)	Progress on the t-shirt design was shared and critiqued. The group discussed printing options, and how the design could reflect the theme.
05/18/2025	(Virtual)	The final t-shirt design was completed. Members confirmed vendor details and prepared the order list.
05/25/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting was devoted to sending out the t-shirt order. The group also began casually brainstorming what the team outline might include.
06/01/2025	(Virtual)	Members drafted the team outline, sketching out structure for wiki content and identifying what visuals would be needed.
06/08/2025	(Virtual)	The first round of promotion video script brainstorming began. The team discussed narrative flow, tone, and what story they wanted to tell.
06/15/2025	(Virtual)	Work continued on the script, with the second draft being developed. Members refined the storyline and emphasized clarity for audiences.
06/22/2025	(Virtual)	The script reached its third round of editing, with feedback from across the team incorporated. Plans for visuals and graphics were outlined.
06/29/2025	(Virtual)	The script was finalized for submission. Attention shifted toward planning for actual video production.
07/06/2025	(Virtual)	The team began recording and editing the first cut of the video. Members reviewed initial footage and aligned it with the script.
07/13/2025	(Virtual)	The second cut of the video was refined with smoother transitions and graphics. Members provided targeted feedback on pacing and style.
07/20/2025	(Virtual)	The third cut of the video was completed, focusing on audio balance and subtitles. The team prepared the final round of revisions.
07/27/2025	(Virtual)	The final promotion video was completed and submitted. The team reflected on takeaways and began shifting to wiki theme discussions.
08/03/2025	(Virtual)	The wiki theme was finalized, and members discussed color palettes, layouts, and coherence. Responsibilities were divided for sections.
08/10/2025	(Virtual)	Commenting on the wiki theme took place. Members shared critiques on readability and consistency.
08/17/2025	(Virtual)	The meeting centered on wrapping up ongoing wiki work while beginning to shift focus toward the notebook. Members discussed how to organize documentation and what materials would be needed.
08/24/2025	(Virtual)	The team continued with planning for the notebook and reviewed progress across other deliverables. Discussions touched on formatting, visuals, and keeping deadlines manageable.
08/31/2025	(Virtual)	Notebook drafting began, with members collecting experimental and outreach notes. Work was divided for efficient progress.
09/07/2025	(Virtual)	The notebook draft was reviewed, with edits for clarity and formatting.
09/14/2025	(Virtual)	The final notebook edits were made. The team also finalized hoodie and booth design concepts, ensuring that visuals were complete.

Date	Mode	Session	Activities
07/06/2025	(In-Person)	Group 1: Session 1	Practiced micropipette use (5 trials with water). Added 1 µL DNA into E. coli solutions and mixed. Heat shock: 1 min 30 sec at 46 °C → ice incubation 5 min. Added 100 µL LB media → 30 min recovery at 37 °C; shaking incubator (200 rpm, 30+ min). Prepared LB agar + antibiotics; poured plates; plated 100 µL; incubated 37 °C for 1 day.
07/13/2025	(In-Person)	Group 1: Session 2	Transferred colonies to tubes; centrifuged E. coli; discarded supernatant. EX Pure Plasmid Kit extraction (resuspend, lyse, neutralize, centrifuge). DNA binding column → wash → elute; measured plasmid purity (2 µL samples, ED control).
07/20/2025	(In-Person)	Group 2: Session 1	Pre-Lab: Micropipette practice. Protein extraction: Centrifuge L. reuteri samples; lysis buffer; vortex; sonication; separate debris; prepare 4 tubes (+/− plasmid cells/solutions); add SDS 1×. Electrophoresis: Fill apparatus; load marker (3 µL) + 4 samples; run 160 V, 0.03 A, 40 min. Staining: Remove gel; cut wells; stain with Coomassie on nutating mixer.
07/27/2025	(In-Person)	Group 2: Session 2	Protein extraction: Centrifuge (~22 °C, 3000 rpm, 3 min); collect supernatants; add lysis buffer; sonicate 15 min (amp 1/40%, pulse 3 sec/3). Bradford assay: Prepare BSA standards S0–S5; Bradford dye; 96-well: 195 µL dye + 5 µL of standards and +/− samples; incubate 3 min; read 595 nm.
08/03/2025	(In-Person)	Group 3: Session 1	Pre-Lab: Pipetting practice. DNS reagent: 0.5 g DNS, 0.8 g NaOH, 15 g sodium potassium tartrate, water to 50 mL. Standard curve: 6 D-galacturonic acid standards (stock) of varying concentrations. Pectin assay: 8 tubes (4 plasmid / 4 no plasmid): 4.5 mL 1% pectin + 0.5 mL supernatant; incubate 37 °C; collect 1 mL; DNS assay.
08/10/2025	(In-Person)	Group 3: Session 2	Fruit peels: Prepare peels (Korean pear, watermelon, banana, kiwi, tomato); grind with 50 mL water; centrifuge. Enzyme reaction: For each fruit: 300 µL extract + 200 µL plasmid solution (+/−); vortex. DNS tubes: 50 µL DNS + 50 µL sample; heat 100 °C, 5 min. Absorbance: 80 µL per well in 96-well; DNS-only control; read 540 nm.