Overview
Not only did we collaborate with multiple teams, but we also collaborated on different aspects, including propaganda, topic exchange, problem solving, hardware design, etc.
In terms of experiments, we cooperated with team NJTech_China and got guidance and some experimental materials; in terms of hardware design, NJTech_China gave us some reasonable suggestions; in the project meetups, we cooperated with several teams, such as Worldshaper-Nanjing, Worldshaper-HZ, NFLS_Nanjing, Nanjing_NFLS, Nanjing_China, NJTech_China. We also organized and participated several publicity activities with Worldshaper-Nanjing, NFLS_Nanjing, Nanjing_NFLS, Nanjing_China, Worldshaper-HZ，Worldshaper-HZBIOX，Worldshaper-Shanghai，GYHS，IvyMaker-China， NJTech_China.
1. Be Mentored by NJTech_China
Since the NJTech_China team is an undergraduate team, they have more experience of experiments than we do. We became a collaborative team and the NJTech_China team provided us with experimental guidance and materials, including the Clostridium tyrobutyricum and E. coli strains used in our project.
They also provided us with some suggestions on the design of hardware devices. We designed a crushing drying machine. In the process, we asked NJTech_China for advice and their hardware designer showed several similar machines to us. After that we adjusted our design, and finally improved our prototype based on the model of their machine. To be more detailed, we modified a bigger entrance, allowing more convenient material input. Also, they provided the heating+rotation method of drying the shrimp shell.
2. Host/participate offline meetup with other teams
2.1. Host offline meetup with 3 high school teams
At the end of September, the iGEM team's activities were coming to an end, and we planned to review our team's work to guide the next delivery of results. So, we invited NFLS_Nanjing, Nanjing_NFLS, together with Worldshaper-Nanjing team to hold a Meetup for high school teams in Nanjing, where each team had a friendly exchange and sharing on various aspects such as project background, experiment process, and social practice.
The four teams had a free discussion on the questions and highlights found during the presentation, including topics such as access to lab resources, speed of experiments, manuscript writing, wiki creation, mapping software sharing and so on. The teams not only benefited a lot from the project, but also enhanced mutual understanding and friendship, which reflected the communication and cooperation among iGEM teams.
At the meetup, we talked about the activities of 'education' and after sharing what we were doing, we decided to go to the local community and do improved promotions.(For detailed information, please click on: Education & communication>3 Offline Public Engagement Activity or Collaborations> 3.2 offline activity )
2.2. meetup in Hangzhou
In order to let more people know about our project, we participated in a large project exchange meetup organized by Worldshaper-HZ. As there were many teams participating, we prepared not only an online presentation, but also printed and distributed to everyone present a leaflet introducing biofuels and biofuel production from kitchen waste. It was clear that there was a lot of interest in our promotional materials and project.
3. Co-host publicity activities
3.1. Online activity
3.1.1 collaborated with 6 teams
On 7.10,2022，in order to promote our project to a wider audience and to popularize synthetic biology, our team, together with 6 other teams (Worldshaper-Nanjing，Worldshaper-HZ，Worldshaper-HZBIOX，Worldshaper-Shanghai，GYHS，IvyMaker-China), organized a promotional event using a live streaming platform. The theme of the event was "Synthetic biology in our life".
We prepared the whole event for 2 weeks, and our team not only suggested the theme, but also chose the live streaming platform——WeChat, which is a platform more suitable to create a chain effect among friends and acquaintances.
With the cooperation of 7 teams, the live promotion activity achieved a significant effect, with about 200 viewers, achieving the purpose of promoting to a broader population.
3.1.2 collaborated with Worldshaper-Nanjing
On 8.3,2022, we hosted a joint online campaign with team Worldshaper-Nanjing. We were honored to have iGEM Asian Ambassador Zhijun Huang in our meeting.
At the suggestion of the Worldshaper-Nanjing team, we planned to run an online campaign targeting high school students, as we felt that our peers needed more opportunities and channels to learn about synthetic biology and its biggest competition, iGEM. During the planning of the event, we invited not only high school students, but also their classmates and their parents, which expanded the target audience and was an added bonus to our event.
The Worldshaper-Nanjing team, which includes many talented painters, designed the posters for our event, and our team took on the responsibility of hosting the event and inviting Asian Ambassador Zhijun Huang.
With the effective cooperation of both teams, the whole online campaign lasted for more than an hour, filled with discussion and communication with some parents and students. We introduced basic biology knowledge, such as the meaning of bp, to curious listeners. Some parents with biology backgrounds also provided insightful suggestions for our project and activities. It was clear that this event not only aroused a lot of interest in synthetic biology in the mass public, but also provided us with experience and future direction.
3.2. Offline activity
On October 5th, we organized an offline advocating event with 4 other teams (Worldshaper-Nanjing, NFLS_Nanjing, Nanjing_NFLS, Nanjing_China) in Nanjing Langyuan community.
NFLS_Nanjing, Nanjing_NFLS set up the venue and prepared the equipments, while our team and the Worldshaper-Nanjing were in charge of the cartoon manual of biological instruments.
With our concerted efforts, the event went very well and the audience, mainly high school students, were very interested in our competition - iGEM, the topic and synthetic biology. So we delivered the manuals again to students from nearby schools.
4. Cartoon Manual of Biological Instruments
For the science materials, at our invitation, we worked with the Worldshaper-Nanjing team to create a booklet about the use of biological instruments. The Worldshaper-Nanjing team decided on the style of the brochure. We then discussed the appropriate theme and layout and divided the work: they were responsible for the drawing and operation description, and we were responsible for the scientific mechanism explanation. We later combined our work into the final booklet.
5. Offline Education Meetup in Nanjing
We attended the offline Education Meetup hosted by NNU-China and NJTech_China. An education expert from Nanjing Normal University was invited to share some advice on hosting education activities, especially towards younger communities.
Each participant team then introduced their project background and technological method and what education activities they have already done. After this was a free talk section, in which we exchanged our thoughts on aspects from science to human practice.
In this meetup, we learned the experience of other teams in the activities of EDUCATION, especially how to determine the target audience, how to determine the theme of the activities, and other aspects have a clearer understanding.
