Team:Uppsala/PolicyPractices Outreach

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Reaching out

Spreading the word about IGEM and synthetic biology is just as important as getting the project to work. You need to find a way to publicize and reach out to a lot of people in an efficient way and with today's technology there are numerous ways to get the word out.

In our case, we created youtube videos where our main focus was to introduce the concept of synthetic biology and increase the awareness concerning GMO. In order to make it understandable for all, we combined facts with spoofs and comedy sketches. Besides the youtube videos, the iGEM homepage provides more detailed information about our product. The site is easy to access and is easy to spread to many people, thus giving us another tool as commercial.

Additionally, we have been featured in various types of media such as: the radio channel Sveriges Radio and the newspaper Upsala Nya Tidning, where we described our project in detail and how it works. By featuring in newspapers and radio, we could attract people who don’t have access to the internet, mostly elders who want to comprehend to our work, since it is important to reach out to all age groups.

As an annual tradition Synbio Hour at Uppsala University was arranged, which is an event where we familiarize the whole concept of synthetic biology, iGEM and also introduce our iGEM project for the year. This event attracts old and new students and is highly appreciated. It enables the participants to ask questions and get engaged within synthetic biology and most of all, iGEM. By hosting such kind of events, and by showing commitment to iGEM, it triggers students to get involved in the upcoming years’ project.