Team:UANL Mty-Mexico/hp/tunnel
From 2012.igem.org
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.
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.
National Science Week
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.