Team:UChicago/Education

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Education & Science Communication: Synthetic Biology in NYC Schools

Training the next generation of synthetic biologists through a curriculum built around iGEM principles

One of the central parts of our mission this summer was furthering synthetic biology as a means for environmental conservation, both by creating our own PET degradation system, and by creating software that makes research on biological systems easier and more efficient. Another important aspect of tackling this issue is reaching out to inform and engage with the next generation of students in playing their role in the fight against pollution. Whether they ultimately take a technical approach to addressing pollution like our cell free system, or involve themselves in community level solutions such as recycling or initiatives to prevent pollution, education is the first step in tackling this issue. In pursuit of this vision, we reached out to educational institutions to raise awareness of plastic pollution and discuss solutions, both in the context of synthetic biology and in a more general sense. We are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work with two community-engaged education programs in New York:

1. REACH, an educational initiative that is run by Regis High School, that is dedicated to providing underserved students with forward-looking educational experiences as they prepare for high school admissions.

2. You Can Too (YCT), a high-school program affiliated with Columbia University that aims to provide rewarding mentorship experiences to its students.

We are presenting a series of three seminars and workshops to each program. The series begins with a basic introduction to genetics, followed by an exploration of current issues associated with plastic pollution. The lecture series caps off with a collaborative process of problem solving, in which students grapple with using synthetic biology as a vehicle to tackle environmental issues. We hope that bringing this education to middle and high-schoolers will help to raise awareness both about the issue of plastic pollution and how SynBio can create a solution.

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