As part of Science Discovery Day, the 2012 Penn iGEM team engaged with coordinators of the 2012 Phialdelphia Science Festival, a week-long scientific expo devoted to promoting scientific education and literacy. Penn iGEM 2012 prepared a rudimentary alcohol DNA extraction from human cheek epithelial cells for visitors to try. After a successful extraction, team member would explain our project, as well as answer any questions about the current state-of-the-art of synthetic biology, after which experimenters could leave with a sample of their DNA. On April 29th, the team traveled to Clark Park in West Philadelphia to spend an afternoon demonstrating basic synthetic biology techniques, educating adults and children about synthetic biology, and leading DNA extraction experiments for groups of future synthetic biologists. Over 100 participants visited the Penn iGEM table in just over five hours!
SEAS SAAST 2012
Penn iGEM 2012 has a continued dedication to scientific outreach and synthetic biology education. To further promote understanding of synthetic biology, the 2012 team presented to high school students participating in the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Engineering and Applied Science’s SAAST (Summer Academy in Applied Science & Technology) program. The SAAST program brings together over 170 high school kids for a two week long overview of engineering disciplines, where they attend compressed versions of engineering courses offered to undergraduates in the engineering school, as well as participate in practical laboratory investigations. As part of the biotechnology rotation, Penn iGEM 2012 was invited to present our research to the students and answer any questions they would have in the iconic Wu & Chen auditorium on Penn’s campus.
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