Team:UANL Mty-Mexico/hp/tunnel

From 2012.igem.org

iGEM UANL 2012


Synthetic Biology Tunnel


The Synthetic Biology (SynBio) Tunnel is a project to massively inform the crowd. We gave people of all ages accurate information to understand what SynBio is and how it is carried out. In about 90 minutes and across ten interactive modules, we covered topics from basic molecular biology to applications of SynBio and iGEM. Our objective is to educate people in the area in order to promote a founded, critic judgment. Voilà a glance at the tunnel modules:





Tunnel’s dynamic and logistics


As regards the structure and accommodation, given the name Synthetic Biology Tunnel, it had a tunnel-like structure and accommodation, making it straight off so visitors began their tour of an end and finished on the other, visiting each module alternately. Likewise, a set of semi-arches structures gave a general form of tunnel, so the visitor could easily be placed in this tunnel that was touring, also allows identify all modules that belong to the same activity.

To make this event possible it used the facilities of the School Biological Sciences at Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon.

School groups were invited; a group was coming every half hour. They were greeted, and given a talk about the tunnel, biotechnology in general and its benefits, as well as a practical demonstration of an extraction of banana’s DNA. The visitors were organized in groups of 10-12 visitors, they were guided and given an explanation of each module and asked to participate in the activities. In the end of the Tunnel the groups were guided to a second room where they can take pictures with the “signs” of the tunnel, could access to the gift shop and write in a “wall” your opinion about the Synthetic Biology Tunnel.





Diffusion and image


As for the event image, it had a “road tunnel” theme, so all information, activities, signage, broadcast and advertising was performed using the colors, shapes and patterns found in traffic signals.

This theme was used to launch and advertising campaign in different areas of the city of Monterrey, including different faculties of Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, other Universities, as well as public places like Fundidora Park and some malls. This campaign was based in attend this places with the signals, to wake curiosity of citizens, we took photos of people with the signals and shared via social networks, to reach a greater number of people. Also in the opening of the event invited press attend to the event.




You can find all Synthetic Biology Tunnel diffusion images and more at SBT Facebook Page



Impact


* The Synthetic Biology tunnel lasted 19, 20 and 21 of September where we formed and trained about 80 students of various categories in order to perform tasks of speakers and staff.
* During the 3 day exhibition we received more than 2,000 visitors, during the first Synthetic Biology tunnel edition unprecedented in the Monterrey metropolitan area.
* Just over 15 different schools took their students to learn more about synthetic biology, among students were seen many people in middle and high schools.
* During the Tunnel, the local newspaper "El Norte" came to interview us and perform a detailed note about the event.
* The local television "Televisa" came to interview some of the SynBio Tunnel organizers to make a television report.



National Science Week


*The Synthetic Biology Tunnel was repositioned within another event in the public park Niños Heroes in Monterrey where over 5,000 people attended.
* At the end of the Synthetic Biology tunnel, we received several invitations to carry out exhibitions of the same subject in two different schools, one conference, one museum and a recommendation to start moving the Synthetic Biology tunnel through different states of the Mexican Republic .
* During the National science week, the local television "Info Azteca 7" came to perform a extensive note about the event.





Surveys


In order to know basic information of the people who attended this event and their background in biology and biotechnology as well, we decided to apply a simple survey before starting the tunnel. The questions of this survey were design to know about the age, academic grade, and the field of interest of the people who answered it.


A second survey was applied at the end of the tunnel, with questions regarding to the level of satisfaction of the visitors. These questions aimed to know some important aspects about the quality of the event, so that, it can be improved for further editions. Surveys Results Here






Guided Tours


Thanks to the good diffusion created for the tunnel in social networks, some teams and other people from around the world were interested in the event. For this reason we decided to make guided tours in different languages​​. Enjoy them!

English



Español



Deutsch



Français



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