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Team:Aix-Marseille/BeyondTheBench
From 2014.igem.org
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<h1 class="project-title">Beyond the Bench</h1> | <h1 class="project-title">Beyond the Bench</h1> | ||
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| - | + | <h1>Communication on Synthetic Biology</h1> | |
| - | < | + | <p>While we were working on our lab project for the iGEM competition, we came across very interesting readings about how to communicate on the specific field of Synthetic Biology. This question came again as we started to contact potential sponsors for the team, and to communicate with media about our adventure and the goals we wanted to reach. Obviously, there was a whole kind of associations that the public could make with the simple words of « synthetic » and « biology », and as an emerging field, this technology is raising unique questions about benefits and risks.</p> |
| + | <p>As this is the first participation of the iGEM-AMU team in the competition, we wanted to increase awareness of the emerging field of synthetic biology at two levels: first for our fellow-students in Aix-Marseille University, and then to a larger public.</p> | ||
| + | <p>In order to adapt efficiently our message to our public, we first tried to identify the key concepts to deliver an unambiguous and credible message.</p> | ||
| + | <p>Here are the some of the resources that were used during our brainstorming phase:</p> | ||
| + | <ul> | ||
| + | <li>“Guide for communicating on Synthetic Biology” from the Synthetic Biology Project. (<a href="http://www.synbioproject.org/publications/a-guide-for-communicating-synthetic-biology/" target="_blank">link</a>)</li> | ||
| + | <li>“Communicating Synthetic Biology: from the lab via the media to the broader public”, <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Kronberger%20N%5Bauth%5D">Kronberger</a> N. et al., 2009. (<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2759424/" target="_blank">link</a>)</li> | ||
| + | <li>“Synthetic biology confronts publics and policy makers: challenges for communication, regulation and commercialization.” <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Bubela%20T%5BAuthor%5D&cauthor=true&cauthor_uid=22119159" target="_blank">Bubela</a> et al., 2012. (<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22119159" target="_blank">link</a>)</li> | ||
| + | </ul> | ||
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| + | <h1>Presentation of Synthetic Biology to the media</h1> | ||
| + | <div class="media notes-media"> | ||
| + | <img class="media-object img-rounded pull-right" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2014/e/e2/AMU_Team-Laprovence.png" style="heigth:600px"> | ||
| + | <div class="media-body" style="padding-left: 10px;"> | ||
| + | <p>The team wrote a communication document that was sent to the media in order to explain both the concept of synthetic Biology and the goal of the iGEM competition. Following this, we got an interview with a journalist of the daily newspaper “La Provence” that was published on august 22, 2014.</p> | ||
| + | <br><br> | ||
| + | <p><i>“Following this article, we found that communicating on science can be difficult, especially as we are in the very first part of our project. Our goal concerns basic research, and no obvious or specific application can be given as an example of outcome. Yet, we were happy with how the journalist presented our work in the context of Synthetic Biology.”</i></p> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
| + | |||
| + | <h1>Presentation of Synthetic Biology to the FSDIE, October 2, 2014</h1> | ||
| + | <p>Aimeric did an oral presentation of Synthetic Biology to the board of the FSDIE. The FSDIE is a fund for Aix-Marseille University destined to support students.</p> | ||
| + | <p>tudent projects funded by the FSDIE must be described with clear objectives, actions, the evaluation method and presenting a balanced budget. Projects are evaluated competitively and the best are funded. The board constitutes a broad audience as it includes students, social workers, University teachers and administratives.</p> | ||
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| + | <h1>Presentation of Synthetic Biology to “Fête de la Science”, October 10-12, 2014</h1> | ||
| + | <div class="media notes-media"> | ||
| + | <img class="media-object img-rounded pull-right" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2014/9/9e/AMU_Team-fete_science.png" style="width:500px"> | ||
| + | <div class="media-body" style="padding-left: 10px;"> | ||
| + | <p>The aim of the annual “Fête de la Science” in France (=French Science Festival) is to inform the public about developments in science and theirs implications for society.</p> | ||
| + | <p>Alexia presented a poster about Synthetic Biology and the iGEM competition during the festival, keeping in mind the guidelines we established for an optimal scientific presentation to a broader audience.</p> | ||
| + | <p>Here is Alexia's feedback about how she handled public questions and concerns during the discussion:<br> | ||
| + | <i>“When I attended the celebration of science, I knew that people could have concerns about genetically engineered organisms (GMOs) as they can ear and read a lot about it in the media. So I tried to start the discussion by a first focus on potential applications. For example, it would be useful to have organisms that could participate to environmental cleanup, drug development or nutrition of populations in developing countries. Then, I presented Synthetic Biology as an emerging technology to get efficient AND safe biological constructs that would fulfil these goals. I specifically insisted on safety and ethic questions. For example, I insisted that for our project, the biological constructs are manipulated in laboratory and can’t spread in nature without control. I also insisted on the fact that as an emerging technology, Synthetic Biology is deeply engaged into the reflexion about safety, as well as the economical and ethical aspects of science.“</i></p> | ||
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| + | </div> | ||
| + | </div> | ||
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{{Team:Aix-Marseille/footer}} | {{Team:Aix-Marseille/footer}} | ||
Revision as of 23:15, 15 October 2014
Beyond the Bench
Communication on Synthetic Biology
While we were working on our lab project for the iGEM competition, we came across very interesting readings about how to communicate on the specific field of Synthetic Biology. This question came again as we started to contact potential sponsors for the team, and to communicate with media about our adventure and the goals we wanted to reach. Obviously, there was a whole kind of associations that the public could make with the simple words of « synthetic » and « biology », and as an emerging field, this technology is raising unique questions about benefits and risks.
As this is the first participation of the iGEM-AMU team in the competition, we wanted to increase awareness of the emerging field of synthetic biology at two levels: first for our fellow-students in Aix-Marseille University, and then to a larger public.
In order to adapt efficiently our message to our public, we first tried to identify the key concepts to deliver an unambiguous and credible message.
Here are the some of the resources that were used during our brainstorming phase:
- “Guide for communicating on Synthetic Biology” from the Synthetic Biology Project. (link)
- “Communicating Synthetic Biology: from the lab via the media to the broader public”, Kronberger N. et al., 2009. (link)
- “Synthetic biology confronts publics and policy makers: challenges for communication, regulation and commercialization.” Bubela et al., 2012. (link)
Presentation of Synthetic Biology to the media
The team wrote a communication document that was sent to the media in order to explain both the concept of synthetic Biology and the goal of the iGEM competition. Following this, we got an interview with a journalist of the daily newspaper “La Provence” that was published on august 22, 2014.
“Following this article, we found that communicating on science can be difficult, especially as we are in the very first part of our project. Our goal concerns basic research, and no obvious or specific application can be given as an example of outcome. Yet, we were happy with how the journalist presented our work in the context of Synthetic Biology.”
Presentation of Synthetic Biology to the FSDIE, October 2, 2014
Aimeric did an oral presentation of Synthetic Biology to the board of the FSDIE. The FSDIE is a fund for Aix-Marseille University destined to support students.
tudent projects funded by the FSDIE must be described with clear objectives, actions, the evaluation method and presenting a balanced budget. Projects are evaluated competitively and the best are funded. The board constitutes a broad audience as it includes students, social workers, University teachers and administratives.
Presentation of Synthetic Biology to “Fête de la Science”, October 10-12, 2014
The aim of the annual “Fête de la Science” in France (=French Science Festival) is to inform the public about developments in science and theirs implications for society.
Alexia presented a poster about Synthetic Biology and the iGEM competition during the festival, keeping in mind the guidelines we established for an optimal scientific presentation to a broader audience.
Here is Alexia's feedback about how she handled public questions and concerns during the discussion:
“When I attended the celebration of science, I knew that people could have concerns about genetically engineered organisms (GMOs) as they can ear and read a lot about it in the media. So I tried to start the discussion by a first focus on potential applications. For example, it would be useful to have organisms that could participate to environmental cleanup, drug development or nutrition of populations in developing countries. Then, I presented Synthetic Biology as an emerging technology to get efficient AND safe biological constructs that would fulfil these goals. I specifically insisted on safety and ethic questions. For example, I insisted that for our project, the biological constructs are manipulated in laboratory and can’t spread in nature without control. I also insisted on the fact that as an emerging technology, Synthetic Biology is deeply engaged into the reflexion about safety, as well as the economical and ethical aspects of science.“
