“Education is a seed that takes root and grows in different soils; it is a light that illuminates the hearts at every stage of growth.”
This year, our educational activities target three groups: elementary school students, middle school students, and university students. For elementary school students, we focus on fun interactions and vivid stories to spark their initial curiosity about nature and life. For middle school students, we emphasize scientific principles and inquiry-based methods, helping them build systematic knowledge. For university students, we highlight the integration of cutting-edge research and practice, cultivating their critical thinking and interest in scientific exploration.
Huancheng Town Experimental Primary School in Weishan County is an institution committed to advancing basic education and providing primary-level schooling, situated in an economically less developed region.
Weishan County is located in the southwestern part of Shandong Province, where the economy is relatively underdeveloped and educational resources are limited. We seek to convey the cutting-edge knowledge and theories we have acquired at university to local children through engaging stories and interactive activities. In doing so, we aim to enable them to experience the charm of science in a relaxed atmosphere, while fostering self-confidence and aspirations, and encouraging them to envision a broader world and future possibilities.
After thorough communication and collaboration with the leadership of Huancheng Town Experimental Primary School, we organized a seven-day science popularization program themed around scientific storytelling and knowledge dissemination.
In the classroom, we introduced how modern biology can modify traits of organisms through genetic approaches, and invited the children to illustrate their own visions of future biotechnological innovations. Through picture displays and video-based learning, the students not only gained new insights into biology but also experienced the fascination of science through the boundless possibilities it offers.
We also incorporated concepts such as “carbon neutrality” and “peak carbon emissions,” enabling the children to learn about pressing global issues and gradually cultivate a broader international perspective.
In addition, the program included chemistry and physics experiment demonstrations, poster exhibitions, and project promotion activities. Through a progressive and engaging approach, we conveyed cutting-edge scientific knowledge to primary school students in a relaxed atmosphere. At the same time, by integrating vivid storytelling with hands-on experimental experiences, we guided them in developing scientific thinking and enhanced their understanding of life sciences and natural phenomena.
We received positive feedback from the children, teachers, and school leadership. The students showed great enthusiasm for the knowledge that they rarely encounter in their daily studies. Through this activity, we hope that they will carry with them the scientific concepts embedded in the experience, remembered amid joy and laughter.
Through this activity, OUC-China not only showcased its academic achievements and innovative thinking, but also embodied the social responsibility and public-spirited commitment of iGEMers. We have learned about the different views of primary school students on biology, which provides ideas for our subsequent educational methods.
With the support of the College of Marine Life Sciences at Ocean University of China, we collaborated with Qingdao No. 9 High School to organize a summer camp entitled “Entering the Biological Laboratory: Exploring the Mysteries of Marine Life”, targeting high school students.
To contribute to public education and encourage more high school students to explore the mysteries of life sciences, we organized this activity from August 18 to 20, 2025. The program provided students with a platform to engage with cutting-edge science. Through thematic lectures, research experience sharing, and fieldwork stories, they not only encountered the latest research findings and scientific developments beyond the classroom but also gained a direct appreciation of the fascination of scientific exploration.
Over the course of three days, we organized a series of scientific exploration activities. Following the opening ceremony, we arranged a range of theoretical learning sessions, including lectures delivered by distinguished professors on topics such as the history of the college, an introduction to marine science, developmental biology, and advances in bioenergy. These courses helped students to systematically understand the research subjects, methodologies, and prospects of life sciences and marine sciences.
In the practical sessions, participants engaged in hands-on activities such as leaf structure observation, microbiological experiments, and the dissection of sea pansies. Through these exercises, they not only acquired basic laboratory skills but also experienced the rigor and excitement of scientific inquiry. We further organized a marine biology knowledge competition and a student forum, which encouraged participants to deepen their understanding through interaction, while cultivating scientific thinking and teamwork.
Finally, during the closing ceremony, we reviewed the three-day program and commended the participants for their enthusiasm and outstanding performance. This event fully demonstrated the value of science popularization in inspiring high school students’ interest in science, fostering research awareness, and broadening their academic horizons. We hope that more students will join in future activities to continue exploring the mysteries of marine life.
Over the course of three days, the participants actively engaged in various experiments and exploratory activities, gaining close exposure to knowledge related to marine organisms and demonstrating great enthusiasm for biology. They benefited considerably from the experience, and we hope that more high school students will take part in such programs in the future to further explore the mysteries of marine life.
The successful conclusion of this activity highlights OUC-China’s commitment to public education and demonstrates the positive role of practical science popularization in stimulating high school students’ interest in marine science and nurturing future research talent.
iGEM places strong emphasis on mutual support and knowledge transfer within teams. In this spirit, we carried out university-wide training and outreach activities for prospective team members preparing to participate in the following year’s competition.
We received a total of 96 applications from students who shared a strong interest in biology and were eager to join our training program. Through systematic literature reading and one-on-one discussions, we aim to help more students understand synthetic biology, engage with cutting-edge technologies, and experience the joy of academic exploration.
We organized an offline exhibition at the entrance of the university canteen, the most frequented area on campus, where we introduced the basic concepts of the iGEM competition and provided a brief overview of relevant biological knowledge.
Following this, we released a learning camp announcement through our official WeChat account, inviting students to join a learning group. We assisted participants in joining one of five subgroups—wet lab, dry lab, modeling, hardware, and design—according to their individual interests, in order to facilitate in-depth communication and collaboration. For each subgroup, we prepared pre-reading materials and reference resources to help students focus on core research concepts, understand the structure of academic papers and research methodologies, and become familiar in advance with the key topics of subsequent discussions.
After two to three weeks of literature study, we organized one-on-one sharing sessions for all participants. During these sessions, members of OUC-China 2025 engaged in face-to-face discussions with each student, exchanging insights from their studies while gaining a deeper understanding of participants’ interests and enthusiasm. This process served not only as a form of interview-style interaction but also as an academically equal and in-depth dialogue.
Our activities received positive feedback from teachers and students across the university. During the offline exhibition, many students and professors stopped to observe, engage in academic discussions with us, and inquire about the iGEM competition. We were pleased to introduce our work and project to a broad audience, including those from non-biology backgrounds. Through these exchanges with peers from different disciplines and age groups, we hope to cultivate interdisciplinary thinking and refine our project design from multiple academic perspectives.
This exchange event was not only a platform to showcase the achievements of the 2025 OUC-iGEM project, but also a starting point for gathering wisdom and inspiring potential. After this activity, our project has placed greater emphasis on cross-disciplinary integration, injecting the impetus of different emerging disciplines into the project.
We have created a WeChat official account and a Xiaohongshu account for our team, aiming to record every social practice activity of our team and exchange ideas with colleagues from all over the country who are interested in synthetic biology.
We believe that biology education is not merely the transfer of knowledge, but also the cultivation of curiosity and the nourishment of scientific literacy. Through progressive educational approaches, we hope to inspire learners at different stages to develop a love for life sciences and ignite the spark that leads them onto the path of future scientific discovery.