<H4id="edu-heading"text="Our education and outreach"/>
<LoremMedium/>
<p>Education and outreach remain vital, even without being a special prize focus. They help us share knowledge, inspire people, and create lasting impact. By making information accessible, we empower the public to make informed decisions and engage in meaningful discussions.</p>
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<H4id="edu-why-heading"text="If not as a special prize - then why?"/>
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<p>Human-centered design is essential for our Integrated Human Practices, ensuring that our project is aligned with the real needs and concerns of the people it aims to serve. Outreach and education are key components of this approach, as they allow us to communicate our goals and inform the public about both our project and the critical issue of cystic fibrosis (CF). By engaging with diverse audiences—patients, families, schools, and the wider community—we raise awareness about CF, while fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges involved. This feedback-driven interaction not only builds trust but also helps us refine our work to have a meaningful impact on those affected by CF. Through educational programs, workshops, and outreach initiatives, we aim to bridge the gap between scientific research and the public, ensuring that our project is both accessible and impactful.</p>
<H4id="student-academy-heading"text="Student academy on the topic of synthetic biology"/>
<H5id="Schüler*innen Akademie"text="Teaching the Next Generation of SynBio Pioneers "/>
<p> The Center for Biotechnology (CeBiTec) at Bielefeld University organizes the annual CeBiTec Student Academy for “Biotechnology and Biomedicine.” Supported by the Osthushenrich Foundation and the Detmold district government, the academy offers students a unique opportunity to deepen their understanding of biology, genetics, and molecular biology through hands-on experiments and expert lectures. Key topics include nanopore sequencing, tumor diagnostics, and the evolution of SARS-CoV-2. The program is especially valuable for students transitioning from school to potential studies in the natural sciences.
Due to our collaboration with the Student Academy, we conducted the nanopore sequencing experiment and served as teachers, assisting in experiment preparation, execution, offering guidance, and answering questions. This role allowed us to teach the students about laboratory work, the critical aspects of conducting experiments, and essential safety considerations. The experiment involved isolating bacterial DNA, preparing samples for sequencing, and performing both sequencing and data analysis.</p>
<p>Since we presented our iGEM project PreCyse to them as well, the students were introduced to study-related projects like iGEM. They learned about the daily tasks, challenges, and responsibilities involved in iGEM through project discussions. Many students were captivated by the iGEM concept and expressed interest in participating during their future studies. They were particularly fascinated by the opportunity to develop real research projects, work independently in the lab, learn extensively about synthetic biology, and implement creative ideas while collaborating with an international team.</p>
