The exhibition was the culmination of our efforts to organize a large-scale workshop for a diverse audience over a long weekend. Such events often motivate people to explore local activities - whether individually, with family, or with friends. In September, the museum entices visitors to step into a place of learning on the topics of microbes and synthetic biology. Therefore, this event provided an opportunity for us to reach a diverse, intergenerational audience in a specially designed space, consistent with the museum’s long-standing tradition of successful outreach. As the current exhibition focuses on microbes, we aimed to offer a new perspective by presenting a project that shows that bacteria are not always pathogenic and can be modified for useful purposes. It will be particularly interesting to see whether this theme, unlike the previous exhibition on artificial intelligence, can capture the same level of public interest - despite the common perception of microbes as primarily harmful.

Organizing an exhibition from start to finish requires extensive preparation and careful planning. Defining the public’s expectations and anticipating their questions was essential, particularly when presenting a synthetic biology project such as ours. With terms like technology and ecology now part of everyday conversations, we chose our work on rare earths as a hook to spark visitors’ curiosity. This led us to one of our major challenges: promoting the exhibition. While our collaboration with the museum provided a strong foundation, benefiting from its reputation and communication network, we also relied on our own channels to maximize visibility and attract as many visitors as possible. Assuming that the number of visitors may not be entirely under our control, we have focused our efforts on ways to attract crowds to the museum's doors. Finally, we faced the challenge of designing an exhibition that was both engaging and accessible for children, while remaining interesting and informative for adults, regardless of their scientific background. .

Advance preparation and organization, excellent communication with the museum, and active and dynamic collaboration between internal and external stakeholders enabled the exhibition to be set up with great ease. The dialogue within our teams was a source of inspiration and encouraged us to think critically about the layout and location of our workshops. This enabled us to use the space in a way that made the exhibition as enjoyable as possible for the public.

Organizing an exhibition allows us to reach a much wider and more diverse audience. During the three days of the exhibition, we mainly interacted with families who came to spend time at the museum during their weekend. One of the main lessons we learned is that when we are dealing with a family, it is essential to address the children directly and instantly adapt to their level of knowledge so that they do not feel excluded from the discussion. This means simplifying the information directly for the children, knowing that the parents accompanying them will benefit from the same simplified explanation. This prevents the children from feeling excluded and allows the parents to derive a certain satisfaction from seeing their children take an interest in a scientific subject.

Parents left alone with their children for a few moments or adults visiting the exhibition on their own represented a completely different experience. In this context, we were better able to explore other, more complex avenues related to our project and address details that could be understood by a more mature audience.

We also noticed that the Microscope and Pipettes workshops sparked the curiosity of not only children but also adults and grandparents. It was wonderful to see the amazement that the simple sight of microorganisms evoked in people of all ages. The enthusiasm of families for our exhibition was palpable, as the fun and human aspect we brought to our workshops complemented the museum's annual exhibition on microbes. Children can sometimes be shy, but when we take them by the hand, their curiosity is generally greater, and it helps them feel more at ease. The sticker hunt was also a very popular activity with children and even adults, who were able to take a few moments' break. The youngest children participated with their parents or older brothers, encouraging collaboration and mutual assistance, as well as good relations.

The bacteria drawing activity was also very popular with children. It was wonderful to see them applying themselves to their drawings with such dedication as they took part in the competition for the best drawing, hoping to win one of our card games. In a world where technology and screens are always in our field of vision, we were keen to offer a less digital and more traditional exhibition, the aim being to convey a passion for science through an educational project designed to encourage them to participate actively and, who knows, perhaps spark new interests. During the three days of the exhibition, we achieved our goal of introducing synthetic biology to a diverse, non-scientific audience through our project on rare earths.

Ultimately, an exhibition may have been perfectly organized, but if it does not find its audience, it remains incomplete. Therefore, communication and promotion are complex and crucial tools for the success of an event. As visits are also subject to the vagaries of the weather, in addition to benefiting from the promotion carried out by the museum and us, we were fortunate to have rainy weather, which encouraged people to seek indoor activities during this long holiday weekend.

“IL ÉTAIT UNE FOIS…” - “ONCE UPON A TIME”

This poster displays our mascot and introduces our project, REEvolutionaTe, in the form of a tale. REEvolutionaTe. It then explains what rare earths are through simple and concise definitions, supported by a periodic table for clarity.

2nd poster – “OÙ SONT PRÉSENTS LES REE ?” - “WHERE REE CAN BE FOUND?”

First of all, this poster indicates with the help of a world map the countries where we find the majority of rare earths. Secondly, it emphasizes the fact that they are ubiquitous in our daily lives by highlighting with emojis the objects or locations in which we find them.

3rd poster – “LE PROBLEME” - “THE PROBLEM”

We address here how rare earth elements are currently a major problem for our societies. The poster initiates the subject by emphasizing that these elements are currently very little recycled, particularly due to the cost of recycling compared to mining. We highlight not only the environmental issues primarily caused by mining extraction but also the social impact related to geopolitical tensions.

4th poster – “NOTRE PROJET” - “OUR PROJECT”

This poster introduces the student team behind the REEvolutionaTe project. In a single sentence, it explains the essence of our work and the origins of our logo. Our goal was for the visitor to leave with an understanding of the key message summarizing our work.

5th poster – “LES BACTÉRIES” - “BACTERIA”

At this stage , visitors have been introduced to REEvolutionaTe. Prior explaining what synthetic biology is, we first present what bacteria are and introduce them to Escherichia coli, a bacterium widely used in the field.. From there, the exhibition pathway continues with the posters on DNA.

6th poster – “L’ADN” - “DNA”

Upon viewing poster number 5, visitors can visualize what a bacterium is and learn its basic components: the membrane and the nucleoid. Poster number six uses a culinary analogy to explain the roles of DNA, genes, and nucleotides within the cell.

7th poster – “LA BIOLOGIE SYNTHÉTIQUE” - “SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY”

The last poster in the series once again uses culinary analogy to define synthetic biology, with several applications of the field are presented at the bottom of the page.

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We designed a journey retracing our project in the form of seven A0 posters, displayed along a wall in the museum space provided to us. These posters were created to be accessible to all audiences and to serve a dual purpose: promoting our work and introducing the principles of synthetic biology. Our goal was to guide visitors through the exhibition in a clear, narrative sequence that conveyed the story we envisioned.

Learning through interaction.

Our interactive poster stood out by turning visitors into active participants rather than passive observers. Arrows marked “Pull here” and scratch surfaces made the experience more dynamic, inviting people to engage physically with the content. This playful setup encouraged exploration and helped make learning more intuitive and memorable.

When visitors complete their journey through the 7 posters, an eighth poster awaits them. We have designed an interactive A0 poster that easily explains, with additional details, how bacteria have been modified to capture rare earth elements.

Its purpose is to help visitors grasp the fundamentals of synthetic biology through a concrete example - our project. By making the project interactive, we aimed to stimulate the visitors’ curiosity. Since genetically modified organisms (GMOs) remain a sensitive/controversial subject, presenting the information in an educational and accessible way allowed us to reach a broader audience, including those who may have reservations about GMOs.

Science is often perceived as boring or particularly difficult, and communicating with children can be challenging when they are reluctant to listen. To make science enjoyable and capture the attention of even the most uninterested, we designed two games that teach almost without the players even noticing.

2. 7 FAMILIES GAME

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Although it can be played by anyone, this card game was designed for children and families. It is inspired by the famous game of Happy Families, which originally consisted of seven families made up of their main members: parents, grandparents and children.

Our card game features seven families of six cards, corresponding to the seven elements on which we conducted our experiments. Unlike the classic version, our seven families feature six cards designed to provide general knowledge about the element in question.

The six categories are as follows:

• Characteristics
• Periodic table
• Where can it be found
• Its discovery
• Etymology
• Recycling

Card Back

"Characteristics” card:

This card shows the character and the stone they correspond to. In order to establish a certain visual identity, we have kept the same design for the characters in the card game and those in the online game. The card also provides two fun facts about the rare earth element in question.

"Periodic Table” card:

This card shows the element's position in the periodic table, as well as its group and molar mass.

“Where can it be found?” card:

This card lists some of the objects in which the element can be found.

"Its discovery” card:

This card briefly describes how and by whom the element was discovered.

"Etymology" card:

This card explains the origin of the word that led to its current name.

"Recycling” card:

This card highlights the low recycling rate of these elements, as well as the idea behind the REEvolutionaTe project, which aims to recycle rare earth elements using bacteria. This card is included in each family so that all players have it in their hands and are indirectly confronted with it.

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Rules of the game

The cards are shuffled and then dealt evenly among all players.

Each player takes turns asking another player for a specific card from the element of their choice: ‘Lucas, do you have the “Etymology” card for the element cerium?’ If the opponent has the card in their possession, they give it to the player and let them continue their turn. If the player fails in their attempt, they draw a card. Their turn ends as soon as they draw a bad card. When a player has a complete family in their hand, they announce ‘family’ and place it in front of them. The winner is the player who has completed the most families.

Variation 1

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This variation increases the complexity of the game. When the player asks their opponent for a card and the opponent has it in their possession, the opponent asks the player a question about one of the pieces of information on the requested card. If the player answers correctly, they win the card. If not, they cannot take it and must draw another card. If the player gets the answer wrong, their opponent gives them the answer; however, they can only try again on the next turn if no other player has taken the card before then.

Variation 2

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Variation 2 is based on the rules of variation 1. In this variation, the opponent from whom the player requests a card may pretend to have it. If the player believes they have guessed a bluff, they announce ‘bluff’. If the player is correct, they may take a random card from the deck.

For the exhibition, we wanted to make the experience more fun and dynamic. So we set up workshops designed to introduce the general public to the microscopic world.

We developed three workshops following a defined path:

1. The Pipettes Workshop
2. The Microscope Workshop
3. The Petri Dish Workshop

Our aim was for visitors to go through these workshops, experimenting with the various methods that scientists use when working with the ‘invisible’, to borrow the title of the museum's official exhibition.

First, the Pipettes workshop helps visitors understand, by letting them handle microliter volumes, that thousands of invisible microorganisms are found in tiny quantities. A box containing labels with microliter volumes is available for visitors to pick a piece of paper and try to determine the appropriate pipette to draw the randomly selected volume. They learn how to use it with water and food colouring.

In a second stage, the Microscope workshop reveals microorganisms invisible to the naked eye through different magnifications; those observed are bacteria and yeasts from kombucha, yoghurt or baker's yeast. The aim of the experiment is to help participants understand that these microbes are present everywhere around us, even in the food we eat. A modified non-pathogenic bacterium used in our project also contributes to the immersive experience. The strain is the same one we used to draw on the Petri dishes. The aim was to help visitors understand the scale differences between the bacteria observed under the microscope and the colonies growing on the Petri dishes.

It is a way to start a discussion about synthetic biology and genetically modified organisms.

Finally, the Petri Dish workshop guides visitors towards discovering the most famous way scientists use to observe microorganisms with the naked eye. They learn that sugar, the main food source for bacteria, is essential for cultivating microorganisms.

A drawing competition, open to all, invited participants to imagine and draw the bacterium of their dreams. The selected drawings were then displayed in a virtual gallery on our website, offering an engaging and creative way to connect with the general public.

Click here to see the Virtual Gallery

We wanted to open up the exchange beyond schools and the usual environments where people are accustomed to receiving this type of visit. We wanted to bring something new to these hospitalized children and adolescents, regardless of the length of their stay.

Hospitals are constantly changing environments, making it impossible to know for sure who we will be dealing with. Before meeting with the department heads, we did not know how many children would be participating in the workshop. Hospitalizations can fluctuate depending on the time of year or the children's medical conditions, which can influence their motivation and desires. For instance, we had to go to the hospital on a cantonal holiday, which meant that occupancy rates could be lower than usual. On holidays, the hospital encourages children to return home. In addition, in the context of a workshop in a hospital setting, children may in some cases be forced to leave the activity to follow their care plan. To remedy this problem, we devised an activity consisting of interdependent stations to minimize the frustration of children who would be forced to leave the workshop abruptly.

As some patients are in complete isolation, we had to be prepared to comply with safety rules and visit them at their bedsides for a chat based on their questions and curiosity. Being confronted with all kinds of illnesses can destabilize daily life, so we had to be ready to adapt to the complexity of the situations we encountered with these children.

For many of them, microbes are no secret. Constantly evolving in a sterile environment, they are frequently exposed to them and have developed in-depth knowledge in this area. These children, who must be particularly careful around certain microorganisms, receive regular explanations from healthcare staff. They may therefore have surprising and different reactions and questions compared to a typical classroom. Our challenge was to be able to adapt easily to an unpredictable environment, but above all to restore confidence in good bacteria to children who might be afraid of them.

Finally, as the children's hospital is open to minors, it is possible to find patients of very different ages within the department. The workshop therefore also had to be adaptable, i.e., equally relevant for teenagers and young children.

When setting up the common room provided by the hospital, we were unsure how many children would attend the science workshop. Thanks to the enthusiasm and hard work of the educational team at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, who visited the children's rooms to promote the event, several children were motivated to come and take a look. They were often accompanied by family or friends who had taken advantage of the public holiday to visit them. So, we addressed not only the children but also their parents.

Firstly, during the activities, parents observe and only interfere in the dialogue when they deem it necessary; for example, if they want to give the child information or participate in the activity with them. The child always comes first, and interactions with parents should never make them feel alone or unheard. Secondly, a child remains a child regardless of their illness. As a facilitator, it is important to remember that the activity is a time when the sick child has the opportunity to escape and forget the painful reasons that force them to be there. Our mission is to distract them and listen to them without judgement if they feel the need to talk.

When planning an educational workshop for a hospital setting, it is important to remember that parents or visitors may also be present. Although the child is the priority, you must be prepared to answer their questions or involve them in the activity if the child wishes.

The main lesson we learned from this experience is that, despite good organization, the unpredictability of the hospital environment is a major challenge that cannot be ignored. In this case, a single plan is not enough; you need plans B, C and D to be able to adapt to any situation.

It was important for us to reach a young audience and introduce them to science through workshops related to our project. The aim was to introduce them to a less familiar scientific field in order to spark their curiosity and, who knows, perhaps inspire some future careers. The workshop was designed to be fun and interactive for all children, while giving them the opportunity to ask questions and better understand the work of scientists.

One challenge we would mention was running the workshop seven times in a single day to give all pupils the opportunity to benefit from the session.

However, the main challenge for us was to develop a program for pupils aged 6 to 12. As knowledge and maturity vary greatly at this age, our program had to be flexible depending on the average age of the classes we would be teaching.

Firstly, a well-structured workshop is easy to adapt spontaneously according to the children's questions, interests or ages. The activities were relatively similar, with minor modifications depending on the age group of the pupils.

For children aged 6 to 10, the workshop was very successful. As we were wearing white coats ourselves, the scientist's outfit helped them get into character. This made it easier for them to identify with us. Secondly, the theoretical part using images is a method that works well to capture their attention. More than words, images have a greater impact at this age. The time spent drawing allowed the children to calm down after actively moving around the room hunting for bacteria. We also noticed that even young children listen carefully to explanations if their attention is captured.

Most pupils enjoyed observing baker's yeast under the microscope and handling pipettes. The laboratory setting encouraged them to listen attentively; they felt fully involved in the project.

On the other hand, teenagers proved to be a more difficult age group to satisfy. Less inclined to engage in discussion, we had to quickly adapt the activity by targeting their areas of interest, such as entrepreneurship in synthetic biology. A workshop can be easily adapted for children aged 6 to 10, but beyond that, it almost must be redesigned, as interests and perceptions evolve with age.

Secondly, we became more aware of the energy required to look after children and the fact that, although working with them can be rewarding, it is difficult to keep up with them for several hours.

Our primary objective was to stimulate students' critical thinking by encouraging them to work in pairs to reflect on the ethical and societal issues raised by previous iGEM projects, which we selected from various categories. Without providing them with answers, we wanted to nuance the debate so that they could express critical and constructive opinions when directly confronted with articles, reports, or conversations dealing with genetically modified organisms.

Our second objective was to enable them to understand the diversity of life using a microscope, as well as to develop their analytical thinking and reasoning skills through observation. By exposing them to various organisms, some of which were modified, we aimed to show them that there is not always a relationship between genetic modification and phenotype.

Lastly, we were motivated by the desire to share our project with students who had already shown an interest in biology by choosing this optional course. We wanted to learn more about what goes on behind the scenes for a secondary school teacher, to understand how a course is prepared and structured.

The first challenge we faced was leading a class starting at 8 a.m. for a group of teenagers who, like us, were studying science. The second challenge we had to tackle was facilitating a debate on a controversial topic in a respectful and supportive atmosphere so that everyone could express their opinion with as little embarrassment as possible. As external speakers and with the students having only recently met, it can be intimidating to answer questions in front of their classmates. Finally, another challenge we faced directly in designing and preparing the lesson was how to adapt to the teacher's instructions, as she agreed to have us come in on the condition that the lesson could be integrated into the planning of the topic currently being studied.

Despite our initial assumptions, the class we addressed was a perceptive audience. Beyond a few reservations, such as shyness or embarrassment about answering in front of everyone, all the students were cooperative, and some voluntarily answered our questions. Their already keen interest in biology, given their choice of optional subjects, was perhaps not unrelated to the rather positive engagement we observed in the class.

Organizing a lesson for secondary school pupils is a task that is mainly done in advance. Time management is one of the most difficult elements to estimate, especially when we are teaching a class we have never met before. It is not easy to know what to expect, because although we must be prepared for any eventuality, interaction with students can sometimes be doomed to failure or not go as planned. Thanks to the teacher's supervision, we were able to design and improve an interesting and achievable lesson plan. When planning a lesson, it is essential to have removable parts, i.e. parts that can be removed if there is a lack of time.

Another issue we had to deal with was the oddity of teaching the same course two weeks in a row. Since the practical classes were divided into two groups, we taught both groups two weeks apart. When preparing to teach our very first lesson, the stress of wanting to do well pushes us to pay excessive attention to every detail. When teaching the same course twice in a row, we had to be careful not to fall into the trap of overconfidence. After discussing it with the teacher, we realized that this is a common phenomenon that teachers face at the beginning of their careers. Each class should be taught as if it were the first time, because the audience is constantly changing. However, although this feeling is normal, it is crucial to be able to overcome it in order to provide a well-structured lesson for the students.

Ultimately, our proximity in age to the secondary school pupils seemed to put them at ease. At a time in their lives when they are full of doubts about their future, sharing our experiences allowed them to project themselves and identify with us. In addition to the lesson, we were able to set an example and possibly help them in their career choices. This last observation highlights that age did not hinder us in managing the lessons, but that the pivotal age group of 11–13-year-olds presented the most challenges in terms of capturing their attention.

This meeting was organized out of a desire to exchange ideas with other teams sharing the unique experience of spending a summer exploring an issue using synthetic biology. Collaborating with students from other universities promotes learning and stimulates curiosity by bringing together original approaches. In addition, presenting the project results orally is good practice for strategically preparing for the full-scale Jamboree in Paris. Motivated by the mutual support that can result from feedback, comments, or advice from people with similar backgrounds but who are external to our project, we saw this exercise as an asset in optimizing how we would present to the jury. Finally, the importance of networking in the professional world is significant, and such an event was an opportunity to forge links in an informal setting by promoting partnerships between Swiss institutions.

Organizing such a meeting is both rewarding and complex. Bringing six teams together in person can be complicated when it comes to agreeing on a date. We sought the help of the EPFL iGEM team to facilitate the planning and logistics of the meeting, based on the principle that when several generations come together in a gathering, one challenge is to facilitate the integration and inclusion of each participant in the group. As the members of the Le Rosey iGEM team are secondary school students, we took care to consider the difference in age and understanding of technical subjects. It was important to us to minimize any gaps or isolation of the younger members in the discussions.

Coordinating a meeting with members from different regions requires an investment that is often underestimated. Travelling to an unfamiliar campus to spend the day with new people, each presenting their research, can seem daunting. Starting the dialogue on a friendly note in a relaxed atmosphere helped participants bond and get to know each other. As organizers, we noticed that these informal exchanges at the beginning and end of the day were a good way to break the ice and put participants at ease. Although Switzerland has the distinction of having four national languages, English is most often used among scientists, facilitating exchanges. Similarly, differences in age and background proved to be an asset rather than a hindrance, with the diversity of origins opening up new perspectives. Despite the competition, the projects bring people together and create an environment conducive to innovation, while the external perspective highlights elements that we would not have thought of ourselves.

It was through writing that a member of our iGEM team decided to contribute to the Reatch blog by writing an opinion piece on rare earths and synthetic biology. These two topics seemed to perfectly match the current challenges facing society. Blogs are most often written by individuals who, if not scientists, are at least enthusiasts, often confronted with or having had to deal with the scientific or academic world in the past. Writing this article was therefore a way of establishing a dialogue with a rather academic audience, even with experts in the field.

Scientific writing demands a precise style and thorough research. But the real challenge was speaking to a mostly scientific audience while exploring a topic with deep ethical implications.

Writing an article is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the final publication. Writing also requires numerous rounds of proofreading and advice, which you need to be able to listen to and implement in your text. When you want to do things by the book, immersing yourself in scientific literature and traditional media becomes essential. Writing therefore requires a thorough reading phase, in order to be able to adapt the formulation of one's thoughts according to the available knowledge.

Publishing in a blog such as Reatch's is an opportunity to share a topic of interest while giving us the chance to examine other facets of the theme. Writing an article can therefore be seen as a mutual learning process between the author and the reader, promoting a dialogue, initially silent, which opens up new perspectives for debate in our democracy.

Finally, writing goes through several stages of feedback from our colleagues, families, editors, or strangers. This often reveals details that need to be refined that we would not have thought of ourselves. Indeed, everyone's critical mind helps to highlight various elements that need to be completed, whether it be the flow of the text or its content.

The transmission of knowledge or the sharing of opinions therefore also requires close collaboration between experts, colleagues or publishers. This collaboration is essential and promotes exchange between the various stakeholders, in order to provide readers with high-quality content and text.

As this podcast was produced by a university association, it mainly reaches an audience of young adults, often still students. One of our goals was to reach an audience in this age group, made up of individuals from different academic backgrounds. Furthermore, recording the podcast in the form of a conversation breaks down the rigid barriers of an interview and allows us to tackle sensitive topics such as genetically modified organisms, while making the debate enjoyable and accessible for listeners.

One of the greatest challenges of podcasting is its spontaneity. Despite the initial premise that the format would be a conversation with questions prepared in advance, certain unexpected requests can become a source of apprehension. Unlike other communication formats used to popularize synthetic biology and our project, podcasts were the most stressful due to their lack of control. As the guest is not involved in the editing and production of the episode as a whole, they do not have complete control over what they say and cannot go back and clarify any comments they may have made that require further explanation. Not having control over the editing requires a certain amount of trust in the person who will be doing it, hoping that they will remain faithful to the spirit of the interview.

Just like writing, a podcast episode requires preparation and work beforehand. The format of the episode was more like an informal discussion than a strictly technical discussion, which made us question the accuracy of our answers. Once the episode was recorded, it was natural to question the answers we gave or the comments we made during the interview. Thanks to the feedback we received after the episode was published on several platforms such as Spotify and YouTube, we realized that the format had been well received by the majority of listeners. It seems that the informal nature of the format makes it easier to listen to complex content. By adapting to this relaxed style, which can be daunting at first, we have managed to reach an audience that might otherwise be less inclined to read an article. Listeners therefore had the opportunity to learn about synthetic biology and the major issues surrounding rare earths, whether they were travelling, cooking or doing their laundry. In conclusion, knowledge can be shared through a variety of methods. We have learned that we should not hesitate to explore the many avenues and platforms available for sharing our work. Each has different advantages and allows us to reach a much wider and more diverse audience.

Our main goal was to contribute to the iGEM community by connecting with other teams participating in the competition, as well as with people curious to learn more about our work.

The challenge was to create dynamic, fun, and enjoyable content for internet users. By diversifying our content, mixing informative and entertaining posts, we tried to reach as many different users as possible. Analyzing statistics to produce content more in line with the interactions of our subscribers and other users was one way we had to perform better on social media.

Today, social media presence is one of the key factors in the success of a project or business. Interaction with internet users builds relationships and helps forge links with the outside world. Creating content on social media and using various means of communication is a task that is often underestimated, yet it can often make all the difference and set a project apart from similar ones. Conceptualization and experimental design shine even brighter when the image of the work is polished.