Overview

You've probably heard of many blind musicians, blind singers, and blind massage therapists, right? In our Human Practices activities, we even interviewed a blind singer and a blind bartender. But have you ever wondered why we rarely hear about blind scientists? Why is the representation of visually impaired individuals in scientific activities so low?

During our HP activities, we met a young man who became blind later in life. He had been passionate about chemistry from a young age and even participated in the National Chemistry Olympiad of China during high school. However, In the last year of high school, he lost his sight due to an eye disease. Despite this, his love for science, especially chemistry, remained as strong as ever. When describing a scent, he often compared it to a chemical reagent he was familiar with.

After hearing these stories, our team felt deeply moved. We realized that this group, often overlooked by society, deserves more opportunities to participate in science. We want to introduce them to the latest advancements in biology and raise awareness about technologies like stem cell therapy and gene therapy, which could potentially restore their vision in the near future. We also want to help them learn more about synthetic biology and how it can improve our lives.

Our iGEM project is dedicated to promoting inclusivity, particularly focusing on visually impaired individuals. We believe that synthetic biology and science, in general, should be accessible to everyone, regardless of disability. Through our efforts, we’ve not only addressed barriers to participation but also worked actively to create opportunities for visually impaired individuals to engage with science. Below is a comprehensive summary of our work on inclusivity and how it follows the iGEM Inclusivity guidelines.

1. Investigating Barriers to Science for the Visually Impaired

Historically, individuals with visual impairments have faced numerous challenges in pursuing scientific education and research. We first aimed at STEM-specific researches but soon found that there is very few mature surveys on this subject. So aside from doing our own one-on-one interviews and reaching out to more blind individuals through charities, we first take a look at career path for the visually impaired in general. Statistics show that among individuals who are blind or visually impaired, over half of working-age individuals are not in the labor market, and only 44 percent are employed. Those with visual impairments earn over $13,000 less on average, indicating disparities in employment and income levels. Moreover, individuals with visual impairments holding a bachelor’s degree or higher face the largest earnings difference of $14,727 compared to their counterparts without disabilities. Our Human Practices work highlighted the following key barriers:

• Lack of Accessible Educational Tools: Many scientific resources, such as textbooks, lab manuals, and visual aids, are not designed to accommodate visually impaired students.
• Accessibility of Online Applications: Research shows that many online employment websites are inaccessible to users with blindness or low vision, preventing these individuals from even applying for jobs online. In one study, 16 blind screen-reader users attempted to apply for jobs online and found that only one-quarter of applications could be completed without any sighted assistance.>
• Exclusion from Hands-on Laboratory Work: Traditional science laboratories heavily rely on visual cues, making it challenging for visually impaired individuals to participate in practical experiments and grasp complex scientific concepts.
• Underrepresentation in Scientific Fields: Despite their potential, visually impaired individuals are significantly underrepresented in scientific research and synthetic biology. This underrepresentation is attributed to a lack of accessible technologies, support systems, and educational resources to pursue careers in these fields. Notably, individuals with blindness or low vision are less likely to possess higher education qualifications, resulting in them often being relegated to lower-level positions that do not align with their skills. Furthermore, transportation emerges as a prominent barrier to employment, with around 38% of visually impaired individuals turning down job offers due to transportation concerns.
• Social and Interpersonal Communication Challenges: The inability to engage in non-verbal communication may impede access to scientific activities and inhibit the advancement of blind or visually impaired individuals.

Our Response

We addressed these barriers by focusing on accessibility and representation throughout our project. Our goal was to ensure that visually impaired individuals could actively participate in synthetic biology and broader scientific fields. In addition, we call on society and governments to take action by implementing policies that can eliminate the barriers preventing visually impaired individuals from engaging in science. For example:

• Guide Dogs and Navigation: We had never realized before that the training cost for a guide dog ranges from 150,000 to 300,000 RMB , which is difficult for most visually impaired individuals to afford. In all of China, there are 8 million visually impaired people, but only about 400 guide dogs in total. This highlights how challenging it is for the visually impaired to even step outside and participate in social life, let alone engage in scientific activities. We advocate for better legal and policy support to make guide dogs more widely accepted and accessible in public spaces. Additionally, there is a need to develop affordable navigation systems specifically designed for the visually impaired, allowing them to navigate public spaces safely and confidently.

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Learning: During our Human Practices activities, we interacted with the visually impaired community and found that many of them are skilled at using smartphones, utilizing screen assistive functions to convert text to speech. Many are proficient with social media platforms like WeChat, TikTok, and Xiaohongshu. Additionally, AI tools such as ChatGPT are making life increasingly convenient for the visually impaired. However, for those who haven't received enough education, these tools can be difficult to access. Only by continually strengthening the basic education of visually impaired individuals can more of them be empowered to participate in scientific activities. We encourage the integration of AI technology into daily tools, such as smartphones and learning apps like MOOC platforms. By making these platforms more adaptable to the needs of visually impaired individuals, we can provide them with greater access to educational content and scientific resources, empowering them to learn and engage in science.

2. Expanding Access to Science and Synthetic Biology

Educational Initiatives and Accessible Tools

To broaden access to synthetic biology, we initiated several projects aimed at introducing visually impaired individuals to scientific fields:

• Global Accessibility Research: Our wechat blog post, titled "Global Perspective | How Do Overseas Accessibility Facilities Help the Visually Impaired Participate in Social Life?" , provided an in-depth look at how various countries are developing accessibility tools. We explored the use of guide dogs, tactile guidance systems, audio identification systems, and 3D tactile maps to help the visually impaired navigate complex environments. This research has helped us understand global best practices and their potential applications in science labs and research facilities for the visually impaired.



• Podcast Series for Visually Impaired Learners: We repeatedly discussed using a podcast format to introduce synthetic biology to the visually impaired community, explaining what synthetic biology can achieve and sharing details about our participation in the iGEM project, with the aim of encouraging more visually impaired individuals to engage with cutting-edge science. By using simple, accessible language and sharing real stories from visually impaired individuals, the podcast could serves as a platform for education and engagement.




Here are the transcripts of our first Podcast titled, "Don't make decisions about us without our involvement."




• Workshops and Collaborative Learning: We plan to organize collaborative learning workshops, where visually impaired individuals were introduced to synthetic biology concepts through sensory-based learning techniques. These workshops focused on building scientific curiosity and removing visual barriers that often limit participation.

Designing Inclusive Products

In addition to education, our project also focused on creating practical products to address the daily challenges faced by visually impaired women. We designed a menstrual product that uses scent-based feedback to help users know when it’s time to change pads, empowering them to manage their menstrual health with more independence and dignity .

3. Engaging the Target Group: Dialogue and Consideration

Engaging with the Visually Impaired Community

One of the core principles of our project was ensuring that the voices of visually impaired individuals were heard throughout the process. We engaged in direct conversations, interviews, and feedback sessions to better understand their needs and challenges. Some of our key activities include:

• Interviews with Visually Impaired Women: We spoke to women like Amy and Feifei, who shared their struggles with managing menstruation. Through these interviews, we learned about the importance of breathability, absorbency, and the anxiety caused by the inability to know when to change pads . Their feedback was essential in shaping the design of our product. Please see the Human Practice page for details. We also spoke to professionals, including a blind singer and bartender, to gain insights into their experiences navigating life as visually impaired individuals. These conversations helped us understand how accessibility could be improved across different sectors, including science.

Incorporating Feedback into Product Design

Based on feedback from visually impaired women, we made several key improvements to our product, including:

• Making the pads lighter and more breathable for increased comfort.
• Adding a scent-based feedback system to help users detect when it’s time for a change.
• Focus future designs and interviews on teenagers.
• The potential of designing a detergent.

This ongoing dialogue with visually impaired individuals has been crucial in making sure that our solutions are both practical and inclusive.

4. Documenting Work for Future Expansion

Comprehensive Documentation and Sharing

We understand the importance of making our work accessible to others, allowing for future teams or external organizations to build upon it. To this end, we have:

• Published Our Research and Blog Posts: We have published detailed articles on global accessibility initiatives, providing insights into how accessibility tools are being used to empower visually impaired individuals. These articles serve as a reference for other teams looking to expand their own inclusivity efforts.
• Open Access to Educational Materials: All of our educational materials, including podcast episodes, workshop content, and sensory-based learning resources, will be made available to the public. Other iGEM teams or educational institutions can adapt these materials to create more inclusive learning environments for the visually impaired.
• Collaboration Opportunities: We are actively open to collaborations with other teams or organizations who share our vision of inclusivity in science. By creating a network of teams dedicated to improving accessibility, we aim to inspire further innovation in making science accessible to all.

Conclusion: Building a More Inclusive Future in Science

Our work in promoting inclusivity is just the beginning. We believe that synthetic biology—and science as a whole—has the power to improve lives. However, it can only do so if it is truly accessible to everyone. By breaking down barriers, engaging underrepresented groups, and expanding educational opportunities, we hope to inspire a more inclusive and diverse scientific community.

Join Us in Making Science Accessible for All.

Whether you're part of the iGEM community or an external organization, we encourage you to explore our work and build upon it. Together, we can create a world where visually impaired individuals have equal access to the wonders of science.

Summary

• Investigating Barriers: We identified the key barriers to participation in science for the visually impaired and explored global accessibility initiatives to help overcome these obstacles.
• Expanding Access: We launched educational initiatives like podcasts and workshops, making synthetic biology and scientific learning more accessible to visually impaired individuals.
• Dialogue with Target Group: We actively engaged with visually impaired individuals through interviews and feedback sessions, ensuring their needs and opinions were reflected in our project design. We also invited visually impaired friends to our laboratory, where we introduced them to synthetic biology and our project. This allowed us to listen to their understanding of science, hear their suggestions for our project, and directly discuss the barriers they encounter when trying to participate in scientific activities. Their feedback provided valuable insights into the specific obstacles visually impaired individuals face in a lab environment, which helped further refine our approach to inclusivity in science.
• Documentation for Future Work: We have meticulously documented our work and made our resources available for other teams to build upon, fostering a more inclusive and accessible future for synthetic biology.