Communication & Education
This year, we had the opportunity to take part in several activities that allowed us to promote synthetic biology to both the student community and the general public. We believe that sharing our knowledge can help communities develop an informed perspective on science. We presented our project on different occasions, and we also introduced the iGEM competition and our team at several events. In addition, we created and delivered workshops as part of two separate initiatives– and we produced a science communication video on antibiotic resistance. Below, you’ll find an overview of the outreach and education activities our iGEM team participated in this year.
Expo-sciences (March 14th–16th)
Our iGEM team was present at a booth with the Faculté des sciences et de génie of Université Laval during the 2025 regional finals of the Expo-sciences. Expo-sciences is a science competition aimed at youth aged 6 to 20. There were nearly 80 participants presenting their projects. We presented the iGEM competition as well as our project for this year. We brought postcards showcasing our previous projects, as well as those of other iGEM teams. Our presence at this event highlighted to young participants that their passion for science can be nurtured and thrive through university and beyond. We had the opportunity to attend the poster presentations given by participants, which allowed us to deepen our understanding of various scientific topics, such as astronomy and physics. We also engaged with several students by asking questions and offering suggestions to help guide the next steps of their projects.
Rendez-Vous en Sciences (March 21st-23rd)
From March 21st to 23rd, the third edition of Rendez-Vous en Sciences was held at Université Laval. This event brings together more than a hundred of STEM students from across Québec for a weekend of discussion and collaboration around topics they’re passionate about. During the event, two members of our team presented this year’s project plan to all attending students and speakers as invited presenters in a science communication competition. This opportunity allowed us to promote and raise awareness about iGEM and our project within Québec’s broader academic community, beyond Université Laval. Several other team members also participated in Rendez-Vous en Sciences, and through informal discussions, were able to share their knowledge of synthetic biology and answer questions about iGEM and our project.
Lévisium (June 13th-15th)
The Lévisium is a science festival that took place at Quai Paquet de Lévis from June 13th to 15th. The aim of this event is to make science accessible to everyone by offering lectures, shows, interactive activities, and booths and to introduce science to hundreds of children of all ages. We hosted a booth where we presented the iGEM competition and our project for this year. We presented a poster illustrating the various projects our team has developed over the past few years. We also offered a few interactive activities, including a Dobble game and a memory game, both themed around synthetic biology. We participated in several organized activities, including a science-themed escape game, which allowed us to deepen our understanding of various topics. We also visited other booths, where we had the opportunity to engage with specialists in fields such as aerospace, geology, and artificial intelligence.
Dobble Game cards
Only a few example cards. We used this game to teach them what the different images are.
Memory game
You need to find the matching pairs! We also used this game to teach them what the different images are.
Lévisium poster
With this poster, iGEM ULaval presented our team over the years to the public. We discussed our past projects and this year's project with the audience. We hope we taught them about different applications of synthetic biology and how they can provide solutions to our current problems.
Classique de golf de l’Université Laval (June 19th)
The Classique de golf de l'Université Laval is an event that brings together students, members of the university community, and business professionals. It’s a day university-affiliated investors spend playing golf, while students have the opportunity to present their projects at each hole along the course. Our goal was to showcase the various projects our iGEM team has developed over the past few years, with a special focus on this year’s project, Totally [Fe]rocious. We presented a poster showcasing the various projects our team has developed over the past few years and discussed our current year's project in detail. During the event, our team engaged in discussions with approximately 80 investors. This allowed us to meet individuals who have been actively involved at Université Laval for many years and to gain valuable insights into their professional journeys.
Cogir senior residences (July 3rd, 15th, 29th)
This year, the iGEM ULaval team had the opportunity to partner with Cogir senior residences. The Cogir senior residences in Québec City and Lévis promote lifelong learning and encourage residents to stay active every day. We offered them a dynamic activity that included a short, accessible presentation on synthetic biology, followed by an interactive session with games designed to stimulate memory and spark scientific discussion. We delivered this activity in three different residences in July 2025, reaching approximately 60 seniors. We believe it’s important to promote synthetic biology to people of all ages, and we were grateful for the opportunity to answer their general science questions to the best of our knowledge and engage in meaningful, thought-provoking conversations with the participants. Traveling to various senior residences in our region to share our passion for science was our favorite activity this year, and next year, we would like to reach at least 100 seniors, as well as five different retirement homes. The elderly residents were interested and seemed incredibly touched by our visits—we were a big hit with them. They all wished us the best of luck for the Grand Jamboree and hope to see our team again next year so we can present our 2026 project. Our games are available online for other teams to help promote this activity to a wider audience.
Je me souviens
This presentation mix historically important events and science discovery, starting from 1953 and going to 1983! Passing over DNA structure to the HIV. How old were you?
Crossword
The crossword puzzle is designed to work in French. However, the horizontal and vertical questions are translated for you in the table below. Enjoy!
| Horizontal | Vertical |
|---|---|
| What contains DNA in the nucleus | Basic units of life |
| What the nose perceives | The Sun produces it |
| Molecule that contains genes | Very small chemical particle |
| Place to grow plants | Protective clothing in the laboratory |
| Microbe that makes you sick | Central part of the cell |
| ----- | H2O |
IBIS Student Day (August 22nd)
The IBIS Student Day, held on August 22nd, is an event where student members of this research center can present their research or internship projects. IBIS, or the Institut de biologie intégrative et des systèmes, brings together researchers from various fields such as biology, microbiology, and biochemistry. Since several members of our team are student members of IBIS, we created a poster to showcase the iGEM competition as well as our project for this year. This allowed us to present our work to experts in synthetic biology and to discuss with possible new recruits for next year’s cycle. We also attended the poster presentations of other students, which allowed us to broaden our knowledge on a variety of topics, including bacteriophages and even insects.
IBIS poster presentation
With this poster, we took the opportunity to talk about the iGEM competition in order to encourage new members to join the team! At the same time, we discussed our project with experts in synthetic biology.
Faculté des sciences et de génie Reception Activity (August 29th)
The Faculté des sciences et de génie Reception Activity, held on August 29th, is a day organized by the university for new students. It includes an information session, a guided campus tour, and an exhibition of student projects and student associations. We hosted a booth where we presented the iGEM competition and our project for this year. We presented our project poster along with postcards featuring previous projects from other iGEM teams. This allowed us to meet possible new recruits for next year’s team and also to introduce our project to new students. Attending this event allowed us to engage in conversations with individuals actively involved at the university and to gain deeper insights into their academic and professional backgrounds.
Faculté des sciences et de génie Committee Day (September 8th)
The Faculté des sciences et de génie Committee Day, held on September 8th, is an event where all committees showcase their projects to university students. We set up a booth to present the iGEM competition and introduce our team. We presented our project poster, along with postcards featuring previous projects from other iGEM teams. This day gave us the opportunity not only to recruit new members for our team, but also to highlight the value of getting involved in projects during university studies. Participating in this event allowed us to engage with students involved in a wide range of committees. For instance, there were engineering associations focused on international collaboration, as well as groups supporting women in science. We also connected with committees dedicated to artificial intelligence and environmental initiatives.
Science Education Capsule – Antibiotic Resistance 101
This year, our team decided to present the issue we're tackling to the general public through a science popularization video. In it, we provide a simplified summary in French about the problem of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria. The video is available on our social media platforms and has reached more than 600 views on Facebook and Instagram.
Future Presentations
We plan to present our project at the annual research day of the PROTEO network on December 17th. Since the iGEM ULaval 2025 team is made up of members of this network, we will have the opportunity to present the iGEM team, past projects, and our current project. Presenting will allow us to connect with various types of researchers, including physicians, which can be extremely valuable for our Human practices. Our team will also be present at the Portes ouvertes 2025‑2026 de la Faculté des sciences et de génie de l’Université Laval on November 8th. This will allow us to meet possible new recruits and also to introduce our project to new students.