Policy & Practices

An important part of the iGEM competition, aside from working in the lab, is getting in contact with people outside of our team. Not just for fun, though, but in order to spread the idea of using synthetic biology for the benefit of humanity.

For direct contact to people not familiar with synthetic biology we participated in our university’s open house, in an event dedicated to the improvement of teaching (“Tag der Lehre”), and in the European Researchers’ Night. We introduced the iGEM idea and the many-sided facets of the competition as well as our project to the visitors. We also had some simple experiments prepared to be carried out by the younger ones in order to give them an impression of biological lab work. We used these occasions to examine the general attitude towards and inform the public about synthetic biology, for example by conducting surveys or taking part in science slams. Naturally, our cow mascot Carola Wilhelmina was always present! Not only did we get in contact with the broad public but also with interested individuals. For example, for two weeks in August we were visited by our lab intern Benjamin who was eager to broaden his biological knowledge and acquire some basic experimental skills. This was a request we obviously could not refuse!