Public Engagement

Classroom to lab-bench - bringing synbio to high schools



Riga State Gymnasium No.2
Ikšķile Secondary School
Ogre State Gymnasium
Āgenskalns State Gymnasium
Sigulda State Gymnasium
Camp “Alpha”
Young Folks


Between April-October 2025, we launched a series of educational outreach activities aimed at introducing synthetic biology to high school students across Latvia. Our goal was to not only explain the science behind synthetic biology and iGEM, but also to inspire a deeper interest in STEM fields, research, and innovation.


We visited five schools in Riga and surrounding regions, integrating our presentations into academic lessons. During these sessions, we introduced students to the core concepts of synthetic biology, its real-world applications, and how it connects with global challenges. In addition, we shared insights into iGEM and its opportunities in Latvia, while encouraging students to explore how they themselves could apply biology to solve pressing societal problems.

One of the goals was to inspire highschoolers to create their own iGEM team.

To make these sessions interactive, we led hands-on workshops where students could try their hand at problem-solving through a synthetic biology lens—turning theory into action. This experience allowed students to think critically, creatively, and scientifically.

A particularly exciting milestone was our visit to the national summer camp for talented youth, “Alfa”, which brings together high school students who have received top placements in national science Olympiads. There, we presented our project and led an engaging workshop, further deepening students’ exposure to the possibilities of synthetic biology and how they can get involved.

Workshop with Alfa summer camp students

In total, we reached 330 students from five major Latvian high schools - Riga State Gymnasium No. 2, Ogre State Gymnasium, Āgenskalns State Gymnasium, Ikšķile Secondary School, and Sigulda State Gymnasium—along with 30 students from the Alfa camp, and 10 students at Young Folks.

Beyond simply sharing knowledge, our broader goal was to spark curiosity and confidence. We encouraged students not only to learn but to lead—perhaps even forming their own future high school iGEM team representing Latvia.

Through these public engagement efforts, we built bridges between research and education, showing the next generation that science is not a distant concept-it's something they can shape, create, and be a part of.

Engaging diverse communities through research

Science on air: Sharing Our Voice

RSU Podcast: “Ugunskura sarunas”

We were invited to take part in the RSU Business Incubator “B-Space” podcast Ugunskura sarunas (“Conversations by the Campfire”), where we introduced our project to a broad audience outside of the laboratory. In this informal setting, we shared not only the science behind our idea, but also the teamwork, challenges, and motivations that drive us as an iGEM team. The podcast gave us the chance to present synthetic biology in a relatable way, highlight its potential for healthcare, and connect with listeners who might not normally encounter biotechnology in their daily lives.

Listen Now

Radio “NABA”

We twice had the opportunity to speak on Radio NABA, giving listeners the chance to follow our journey in real time. On April 14, we shared our fresh excitement - talking about our early ideas, the challenges ahead and the hopes we carried into the season. When we returned on 22 September, the conversation had shifted: by then we had experienced setbacks, breakthroughs, and plenty of lessons learned. Listeners could hear not just how our project had grown, but how we had grown as a team. Together, the two broadcasts offered a rare, authentic glimpse into what it feels like to live through an iGEM season from beginning to near the end. We hoped to inspire any new interesents and peak their curiosity to join next year’s iGEM Latvia-Riga team, as well as to show that there is space in science for anyone.

Listen Now

Promega

We had the opportunity to collaborate with Promega, taking over their Instagram stories for a day to share our iGEM journey with a wider audience. Through short videos and visuals, we introduced our project, explained our goals, and highlighted what synthetic biology can achieve in burn treatment research. The platform gave us the chance not only to raise awareness of our work, but also to inspire young scientists and students beyond the iGEM community to get involved in science and innovation.

Children and parents
“Zinošs un drošs”

On September 6 we took part in Zinošs un drošs, an educational safety event where our team contributed to the “burn station.” Together with other organizers, we introduced parents and children to the basics of burn treatment — from first-aid steps to understanding why proper care is so important. Alongside this, we presented our project idea in an accessible way, showing how biopolymers and natural compounds could one day support burn healing. By combining practical safety education with a glimpse into scientific innovation, we helped spark curiosity in younger participants and encouraged families to see biotechnology as a field that connects directly to everyday health and safety.

Burn care station

Human Practices Lead Mariya

Science peers
LJZA

On August 16 we joined the Latvijas Jauno Zinātnieku Asociācijas (Latvian Young Scientists’ Association) summer camp, where we had the chance to present our project in a one-minute pitch to scientists from a wide range of disciplines — not only biology, but also humanities, economics, and the social sciences. This format challenged us to communicate our idea clearly and engagingly to specialists outside our own field. The conversations that followed gave us valuable insights from diverse perspectives and highlighted how biotechnology can resonate across disciplines, enriching both our project and our science communication skills.

Science-enthusiasts
European scientists’ night

On 26 September, we joined Zinātnieku nakts (European Researchers’ Night) at both RTU and the University of Latvia, where we introduced the public to our iGEM project through hands-on activities and interactive storytelling. Visitors could explore the natural components behind our design by smelling and touching propolis and casein, try a simple experiment to see how casein can be precipitated from milk, and learn how biopolymers become the basis for new biomaterials. To make science more relatable, we created games such as “Atklāj amata gēnu!” (“Discover Your Professional Gene”), where participants drew roles like microbiologist, bioinformatics specialist, product designer and bioprocess specialist marked as “microbe necromancer”, “code prophet” and “prototype oracle” respectively to make biotechnology more accessible and approachable. We also invited attendees to build their own “healing protein”, highlighting the importance of collaboration in research.

Our participation at both universities gave us the chance to engage with children, students, and the general public, showing that science is not only in the lab but also deeply connected to everyday life and teamwork. It was an opportunity to practice communication, spark curiosity, and emphasize that everyone has a role to play in healing with science. We also used this opportunity to talk with the public, especially the parents of children, to collect their opinions and insights into how they view allergies, natural materials and approach to burns.

Bee mascot with propolis

Flashcard game for pupils

Professionals & industry
PMNET Forum

On October 9–10, we will present our poster at the PMNET Forum, highlighting our phage therapy component through the lens of precision medicine—targeted, modular, and adaptable to specific bacterial profiles. By sharing our proof-of-concept approach and discussing model coliphages as safe stand-ins, we aim to gather feedback from clinicians and researchers, discover new viewpoints on translational pathways, and explore potential collaborations that could strengthen the clinical relevance of our work.