Our education initiative aims to bridge the gap between complex synthetic biology concepts and public understanding, with a particular focus on sialic acid biosynthesis and its applications in human health. Adopting a comprehensive approach combining digital outreach and hands-on community engagement, we designed educational programs that cater to diverse audiences across different age groups and learning preferences.

Our educational strategy encompasses three core pillars: accessible digital content creation, immersive offline experiences, and tangible educational materials. We prioritized making abstract biotechnology concepts easy-to-understand through creative storytelling, interactive activities, and age-appropriate analogies. Combined with our high school students identity, we gave our special attention to younger students who represent the future of scientific innovation and discovery.

The overarching goal of our education program is to demystify synthetic biology while highlighting the practical benefits of our sialic acid production project, ultimately fostering greater public appreciation for biotechnology's role in improving human health and nutrition.

The mind map of the education part of our project is listed as follows:

Picture 1 Education overview mind map

3.1 Community Service Center Workshop

Event Overview:

• Target Audience: Children aged 4-9 years (kindergarten through grade 3)
• Date: August 12, 2025
• Duration: 60 minutes
• Location: Local Community Service Center
• Participants: 18 children, 6 parents/guardians

Educational Objectives:

Knowledge Goals:

• Introduce basic cellular biology concepts using age-appropriate analogies
• Explain enzyme functions as biological "helpers" or "scissors"
• Demonstrate sialic acid's importance in human nutrition and development
• Connect biotechnology applications to everyday health benefits

Skills Development:

• Encourage scientific vocabulary usage through interactive discussions
• Foster creativity through hands-on coloring and building activities
• Develop collaborative problem-solving abilities via group games
• Strengthen communication skills during presentation segments

Activity Structure:

Detailed Activity Descriptions:

Enzyme Building Block Game: Children used colored blocks and connecting tape to simulate how protein scaffolds improve enzyme efficiency in our sialic acid production system. Rolling dice determined block allocation, with special "scaffold" pieces (tape) representing our innovative protein linking technology. This tactile approach successfully translated complex biochemical concepts into playable learning experiences.

Picture 6 Offline science popularization activity class clips

Picture 7 Offline science popularization activity class clips

Interactive Cell Analogies: We explained cells as "tiny houses" within the body, each with specific jobs and responsibilities. Enzymes became "magical scissors" that cut food into smaller, usable pieces. These familiar comparisons helped children grasp abstract biological processes through concrete, relatable imagery.

Picture 8 Offline science popularization activity class clips

Creative Expression Components: Swallow-themed coloring sheets connected our sialic acid research to the natural source (bird's nests), while encouraging artistic creativity. Children's artwork was displayed and celebrated, reinforcing positive associations with scientific learning.

Picture 9 Offline science popularization activity class clips

Picture 10 Offline science popularization activity class clips

Participant Feedback: Post-activity surveys revealed high engagement levels, with 94% of children expressing interest in learning more about "how bodies work." Parents noted increased curiosity about nutrition and science topics at home following the workshop.

Picture 11 Offline science popularization activity class clips

Educational Impact Assessment:

• Pre-activity knowledge: 22% could identify basic cell functions
• Post-activity knowledge: 83% demonstrated understanding of cellular roles
• Retention testing (one week later): 76% maintained accurate concept recall

Instructor Reflections: The mixed-age format required careful activity design to ensure engagement across developmental stages. Younger children responded best to visual and tactile elements, while older participants enjoyed more detailed explanations and complex analogies. Future workshops would benefit from age-stratified content delivery while maintaining inclusive group dynamics.

Material Requirements:

• Visual aid materials: 20 sialic acid information templates
• Interactive supplies: Building blocks, dice, connecting tape
• Creative materials: Coloring sheets (2 per child), crayons, markers
• Incentive rewards: 7 small science-themed prizes
• Setup materials: Welcome posters, presentation equipment

Community Response: The community center requested follow-up sessions, indicating successful program reception. Several families expressed interest in visiting our laboratory for extended learning opportunities, demonstrating effective science advocacy outcomes.

Picture 12 Offline science popularization activities-team photo

Picture 13 Offline science popularization activities-with children

The goal of our education initiative was to provide an increased public understanding of how synthetic biology and the science we do can be applied to human nutrition. We believe that this goal was largely met through our two prongs of advertising online and in person. Through these methods, we were able to reach individuals from all walks of life with science accurate, age-appropriate information on the specifics of sialic acid biosynthesis and the concept of biotechnology development.

Measurements

4,480 online engagements from across all outlets

42 individuals engaged offline

650+ printed materials given out to the community

Results

We were able to effectively educate the public on a complex scientific concept such as synthetic biology and make it accessible to those with no scientific background. Our participants felt as if they had a better understanding of biotechnology and had no major qualms with the topic itself. Additionally, we were able to package this information in a visual, hands-on, interactive way that was also widely appealing.

Takeaways:

The blend of digital and in-person modalities for outreach was key for increasing awareness about our project, however, in-person events created more targeted and meaningful engagement with individuals. Creative elements that we employed (games, coloring, custom emoji) were effective in keeping all age groups engaged with our material.

Community/Community-Partner Reflections:

Our education initiatives fostered local community partnerships that will provide avenues for long-term science advocacy and engagement. These partnerships continue to provide opportunities for furthering our work as the community center itself reached out to request an additional session after our first in-person activity.

Reflections: One of our primary challenges was creating content and presentations that were appropriate for all ages as our project appealed to a wide audience. Visual storyboards and hands-on activities were a particularly effective way to bridge the gap between different ages, as these elements were more accessible than the pure information of the digital content. We were also successful in leveraging social media to expand the impact of our education work beyond our direct instruction.
Expansion: Our education program will be expanded by reaching out to more schools for collaborations as well as by increasing the quality and quantity of digital content. Additionally, we are interested in engaging in joint education programs with other iGEM teams.

Conclusions: Our education team was able to connect people to our project and create a space for conversation on biotechnology and human health. By increasing public understanding of the wide range of opportunities for biotechnology development, we are also able to increase public support of these types of initiatives in our community.