Illinois Synth and the University of Illinois iGEM team have embraced human practices as an opportunity to develop our own sense of ethics and responsibility while promoting general knowledge about synthetic biology.
We have decided to focus our energies on a collaboration to produce informative and thought provoking videos on genetically modified organisms as well as individual presentations on synthetic biology within the Champaign-Urbana community.
Our team was proud to present an exhibit at the 92nd annual 2012 Engineering Open House, or EOH. Over two sunny days on March 9 and 10, iGEM presented one of over 230 exhibits as part of one of the country’s largest science fairs.
Our exhibit on synthetic biology and the manipulation of DNA fit perfectly with the event’s theme, “Dream, Design, Discover.” At our booth we explained what DNA was to school children and allowed them to extract their own DNA via salt water and rubbing alcohol.
We explained the amazing uses of biobricks by displaying plates with drawings colored by E. Coli transformed with YFP, GFP, and mCherry.
We also discussed the safety and ethics of such genetic manipulations with parents and professors who stopped by our station.
In accordance to our "hands on" approach in getting directly involved with our community and involving the philosophies of science with local educational facilities, we visited and presented at the Lincoln's Challenge Academy in Rantoul, Illinois.
As a part of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, the students were of a high school age demographic. However, the demographic and educational backgrounds has its differences from the standard educational system. Members of our team who had participated in educational scientific demonstrations had never been exposed to environment of a military academy. The scientific demonstrations involved:
"
