1.Publicity Activity in Qimin Road Community

On July 15, 2022, NNU-China 2022 held a propaganda activity on DHA/EPA eggs in Qimin Road Community, Nanjing, to popularize science of synthetic biology and introduce team projects to the public. Participants included primary school students and senior citizens. The team made a scientific explanation on the　knowledge, mystery and suitable groups of DHA/EPA eggs. The team added a lot of game elements to help them understand the project, and the games were well received. What surprised the team members most was that all the children were very keen to share their daily lives and participated in the interaction actively. To be honest, it has greatly inspired and encouraged our team to bring more benefits to the public through our own expertise and knowledge. In the future, we will continue to make our own contributions to the publicity of popular science knowledge. Through the campaign, children in the community have gained a comprehensive understanding of DHA/EPA eggs. They learned about the source and function of DHA/EPA eggs. At the same time, they developed a strong interest in DHA/EPA eggs. We believe that NNU-China 2022 will help DHA/EPA eggs to be discovered, known and understood by more people. This activity reminds us to carry out more comprehensive science education activities to further deepen the knowledge of biological science. We hope that broadening the scope and depth of science education will bring special experiences to different age groups.

Fig1:Team members distribute peripheral gifts

Fig2:Group members present PPT

Fig3:Group photo of team members and children in the community

2.Publicity Activity in Wangzilou Community

On July 21, 2022, our team conducted a publicity campaign about DHA/EPA eggs in Nanjing Wangzilou Community.

Before the activity, we distribute our masks, fans, picture books and brochures to children and their parents. This will facilitate them to have a preliminary understanding of our activity in advance. The campaign began with a series of explanations about DHA/EPA eggs and the groups for which they are suitable. After the explanation, we led the children to observe Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a microscope.

Fig4:Activity site

All the children participated in this activity carefully and cooperated actively. The campaign was well received. Through this publicity activity, the children had a certain understanding of DHA/EPA eggs. We understand that as long as we use the right way to publicize, we can carry out a good science publicity to people. We are very happy to bring the happiness of scientific research to children. We hope to stimulate children's interest in science. We will continue to contribute to the science popularization of synthetic biology in the future.

Fig5: Group photo of team members and children in the community

3.Publicity Activity in Science Technology Museum

In order to better promote our team's project and let more people know about our DHA/EPA eggs, we carried out a science popularization activity on DHA/EPA eggs in Nanjing Science and Technology Museum on July 16, 2022.

For children, we gave a lecture on DHA/EPA eggs, and then guided them to play some games related to synthetic biology. During the game, we gave them some of our peripheral gifts as rewards and let them taste DHA eggs.

Fig6: Activity site

For the general public, we have distributed brochures and peripheral gifts so that they can better understand our project. We also hope that they can pay attention to the progress of our project.

Fig7:Distribute brochures

Through this publicity and introduction, we have learned that different ways of publicity should be adopted in the face of different groups. Again, the content should be different. We hope that through this science popularization activity, children can have a preliminary understanding of DHA/EPA eggs and become interested in science. At the same time, we hope that more people can learn about DHA/EPA eggs, and more people can be engaged in this field.

Fig8:Group photo of team members

4.Science Popularization Activities for Middle School Students

On July 17, the student team of Jinling Middle School visited our university, Nanjing Normal University. After showing them around the laboratory, we held a short meeting in the conference room. First of all, Mr. Sun Xiaoman introduced the relevant information of igem competition to middle school students, which increased their understanding of the competition. Mr. Sun Xiaoman also encouraged them to participate actively in the future. Then, our team NNU-China 2022 introduced the relevant knowledge of synthetic biology and the main research content of our subject, which improved the students' cognition of synthetic biology in application. The middle school students listened carefully and attentively. This speech must have stimulated their interest to some extent. After the presentation, we distributed customized peripheral products and took photos with them to commemorate this activity.

It is hoped that this preaching activity will become the cornerstone for them to enter the laboratory in the future.They can study synthetic biology actively and deeply, which is a kind of cutting-edge technology. Hopefully, they can contribute to the national scientific and technological progress. In the future, We will cooperate and communicate with different schools and give lectures to students of different ages. We will promote this project in an all-round way. And we can obtain their feedback, spark ideas, and prepare for further science popularization in the future in this way.

Fig9:Team members present the project to students

5.Science Popularization Activity in Xin-DongFang

On July 20, 2022, NNU-China 2022 held a lecture at Xin-DongFang Education and Training Institute. The topic of the lecture was "omega-3 eggs". In addition, the team introduced the science popularization of synthetic biology and igem competition.

During the activity, many students showed strong curiosity and asked many questions, and our team members answered questions patiently. We designed many small activities to improve the enthusiasm of students, including observing Saccharomyces cerevisiae under microscope and observing the colony morphology on LB medium. After the activity, we distributed the peripheral products as a souvenir. After going through these processes, students' interest in biology has been greatly mobilized. Their interest in biology learning has greatly increased.

Fig10:Teach students to use microscope

Fig11:Teaching students to observe the tablet

This presentation helped students better understand our team's projects. It was also a good exercise and promotion for our team. By answering the students' questions, the basic knowledge of our team members has also been better consolidated. This activity not only expanded the students' scientific knowledge, but also increased their professional knowledge.

Fig12:Group photo of team members

6.Lab Open Day

In order to let middle school students better experience the charm of synthetic biology, our team held the "Open Laboratory Day" on July 23. We also hope this can cultivate their positive attitude towards science and interest in exploring nature. We invited students and parents of New Oriental to visit the laboratory to show synthetic biology and its practical application. We mainly introduced to them the information of life science experiments, as well as the history and significance of iGEM competition. In addition, we also led students to do some simple experiments to guide them to explore the mysteries of synthetic biology. After visiting the laboratory, our team leader introduced the team's project content and experiment process to the students.

Through questions and experiments, students' understanding and interest in synthetic biology were enhanced. We expect to provide students with new perspectives and fields and open up new learning directions.

Fig13:Visit the laboratory

Fig14:Team leader introduces team project

7.Online Popular Science Course of Synthetic Biology

As a multi-disciplinary interdisciplinary subject, synthetic biology needs a certain amount of knowledge reserves to enable people to better understand it. With these foundations, middle school students are in the golden age of cultivating and expanding their interests. They are excellent people who preach. Therefore, on July 21, our team gave a lecture on the application of synthetic biology technology in DHA/EPA eggs (production) to the students of Dajiang Middle School in Qidong City, Jiangsu Province in the form of live broadcast.

According to the age and knowledge level of the audience, our team carefully prepared science videos and PPTs to introduce the research background, research content, research purpose and significance of our project to them.

It is believed that through this lecture, they have a preliminary understanding of synthetic biology, which will lay a foundation for their further study of this knowledge and their practice. We are proud to introduce synthetic biology and iGEM to more teenagers. They may just lack effective ways to learn more from the classroom. We are honored to be their leaders. Synthetic biology is not too far away. The story of how we get an idea and gradually realize it inspires them a lot.

Fig15:Screenshot of online course

8.Introducing iGEM to freshmen

On September 10, we invited freshmen from the School of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering to participate in their science popularization iGEM competition. iGEM is fully known as the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition, which is the highest international academic competition in the field of synthetic biology. Synthetic biology is a new research field in recent years and has received extensive attention from the academic and industrial circles. After listening to our introduction, the freshmen are very interested in this competition. We welcome them to sign up for the next iGEM competition.

Fig16:Vice captain introduces iGEM to freshmen

9.Undergraduate Curriculum Reform

Based on the idea of undergraduate comprehensive biology curriculum reform, we visited Professor Huang He, Dean of the School of Food and Pharmaceutical Engineering of Nanjing Normal University on July 1. Principal Huang He explore and analyze the microbial resources. The scientific research focuses on microorganisms and is based on metabolic engineering. Our team members introduced our project design and plan to Professor Huang He, and asked him for advice.

President Huang He pointed out that synthetic biology is a new interdisciplinary discipline in recent years. At present, many majors have not yet offered courses in synthetic biology. How can undergraduates learn synthetic biology better? He put forward some suggestions and prospects. For example, introduction to synthetic biology should be added to undergraduate teaching in the future, or undergraduate students should be encouraged to participate in experiments and competitions related to synthetic biology actively.

Fig17:Team members introduce the project design and plan to the professor

Fig18: Our team took a group photo with the professor

10.Science promotion on social media

In order to better publicize the relevant knowledge of synthetic biology and the latest research results in this field, our team took over the official WeChat promotion account created in 2021. We will also post the progress of the team project, as well as increasing people's attention to the corresponding professional knowledge. WeChat is a very important platform for online publicity and science popularization, because it is the most popular platform covering the age of users.

Our announcement promotion account mainly includes two parts. The first is the report of synthetic biology related literature, and the second is to update the development of relevant activities of the NNU China team in real time and summarize the feedback of activities in a timely manner.

Fig19:content analysis

Fig20:Public account content display

11.Phoenix Book City

In order to popularize the basic concepts and research directions of synthetic biology to the public, our team held a lecture on synthetic biology and omega-3 eggs in Phoenix Book City on July 24, 2022.

Phoenix Book City is a leisure center open to all ages, integrating learning and entertainment. It gathers a group of citizens who love reading, learning and life. The propaganda here has a wide audience and good publicity effect. Face to face communication is conducive to obtaining more comprehensive feedback on synthetic biology and topics, and provides an important reference for optimizing experimental programs and determining further research directions in the future.

Fig21:Distribute brochures and introduce our project

In this activity, we distributed publicity materials to stimulate young people's interest in scientific research. It's firmly believed that this activity can raise middle-aged and elderly people's concern about their own nutrition and health.

Fig22:Group photo of team members