Team:RHIT/Outreach

The Rose-Hulman iGEM team's approach to Human Practices is two-pronged. Two projects address two very different key audiences: young children and high-school students. Read on to learn about each of the projects.

Synthetic Biology Board Game: BioPioneer

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Terre Haute Children's Museum Synthetic Biology Exhibit

Origins of the Project

The Terre Haute Children's Museum, founded in 1988, features many exhibits on topics ranging from archaeology to _____. However, the Rose-Hulman team noticed that there are no exhibits on biology, specifically synthetic biology. Devon took on the project of creating an exhibit to introduce children to the concepts and methods of synthetic biology.

Exhibit Components

The Design Table, pictured below, introduces children to the idea of putting together DNA sequences. The instructions on the table ask them to think of ways they would use synthetic biology if they could make cells "do anything." The team hopes that this will inspire them to use creativity to explore the possibilities of synthetic biology. Colored magnetic shapes are used to represent DNA. Children can select from many different colors, each with a different purpose - Promoters, Linkers, _____ - and align them on the board to create their sequence. They also have the option of putting together various sequences found on cards on the table. This gives more uncertain children the chance to understand the process. An example of these cards is seen below.

After creating their sequence, the children move on to the Lab Bench, where they explore four different pieces of lab equipment. The four stations are:

Microscope

Centrifuge

Pipetting

Media Plates

Each station provides a description of the equipment as well as a procedure for the children to follow in order to gain experience with and understanding of the technology. Questions guide the children along the way and encourage them to think about the purpose or design of each piece of equipment.