Difference between revisions of "Team:Minnesota/SMM"
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<i><u><font size="3">• The Science Museum of Minnesota and Minnewashta Elementary</u></i> | <i><u><font size="3">• The Science Museum of Minnesota and Minnewashta Elementary</u></i> | ||
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− | We had the excellent opportunity to help shape the innovative initiative facilitated by a National Science Foundation grant. Science museums across the nation were extended the opportunity to develop programming focused on the burgeoning field of synthetic biology. The initiative aimed to stimulate/be a <b>catalyst for community dialogue around a topic at risk for public scorn.</b> Through facilitating new and challenging conversations regarding the simplest (microbial diversity) to potentially most controversial (applied synbio in therapeutics and the environment) aspects of genetic engineering, <b>our team tackled a new mode of connecting the local community to the future implications of synthetic biology and genetic engineering technologies.</b> | + | We had the excellent opportunity to help shape the innovative initiative facilitated by a National Science Foundation grant. Science museums across the nation were extended the opportunity to develop programming focused on the burgeoning field of synthetic biology. The initiative aimed to stimulate/be a <b>catalyst for community dialogue around a topic at risk for public scorn.</b> Through facilitating new and challenging conversations regarding the simplest (microbial diversity) to potentially most controversial (applied synbio in therapeutics and the environment) aspects of genetic engineering, <b>our team tackled a new mode of connecting over one hundred people from the local community to the future implications of synthetic biology and genetic engineering technologies.</b> |
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− | | + | We collaborated to design activity modules that embraced <b>multiple dimensions of public engagement with science </b>(PES) as described by McCallie et al. (2009). This study emphasizes collaboration and equal contributions of public and scientific opinions regarding institutional policy, and most importantly rejects the common heuristic that superior scientific knowledge confers superior judgment in which initiatives should be pursued and defended within synthetic biology. Team members helped design three different activity modules encompassing microbial diversity, prioritizing applications of synthetic biology, and comparing vaccine advancements achievable through synthetic biology and conventional science. |
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<font size="1.5">McCallie, E., Bell, L., Lohwater, T., Falk, J. H., Lehr, J. L., Lewenstein, B. V., Needham, C., and Wiehe, B. 2009. Many Experts, Many Audiences: Public Engagement with Science and Informal Science Education. A CAISE Inquiry Group Report. Washington, D.C.: Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE). | <font size="1.5">McCallie, E., Bell, L., Lohwater, T., Falk, J. H., Lehr, J. L., Lewenstein, B. V., Needham, C., and Wiehe, B. 2009. Many Experts, Many Audiences: Public Engagement with Science and Informal Science Education. A CAISE Inquiry Group Report. Washington, D.C.: Center for Advancement of Informal Science Education (CAISE). | ||
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+ | <font size="3">Our team also visited two elementary school classrooms at local Minnewashta Elementary to teach second-graders about DNA and the genetic code. Using the ECORI Squad synthetic biology curriculum developed by the 2013 Minnesota iGEM team, we engaged kids in fun activities such as putting together base pair puzzles, beading bracelets using the genetic code, and extracting DNA from fresh strawberries. While students were only about ten years old, most of them had a good grasp on the basic idea of DNA structure and replication. We look forward to utilizing our curriculum again this coming year in Minnewashta and also developing some new educational modules for a couple local high schools, and an Advanced Placement Biology classroom in particular, who have reached out to the Minnesota iGEM team about hosting an introduction to genetic engineering and synthetic biology. | ||
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<i><u><font size="3">• Round Table Discussion with Industry</u></i> | <i><u><font size="3">• Round Table Discussion with Industry</u></i> | ||
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Latest revision as of 03:46, 19 September 2015