Inclusivity

To ensure that the work done by our team is accessible and can be built upon by others, we documented all our protocols and experimental procedures in both English and Chinese. By creating a bilingual experiment notebook, we aim to make synthetic biology more approachable for teams or external entities worldwide, particularly those in China who may have difficulty accessing resources in English. This ensures that researchers, students, and enthusiasts from diverse linguistic backgrounds can fully understand and replicate our work, enhancing collaboration and knowledge-sharing across borders.

Our team sought to break down barriers to participation in synthetic biology by increasing access to education and resources. For example, we organized outreach programs at local schools, such as Tiandong Middle School, where we introduced students to synthetic biology, iGEM, and the broader concept of inclusivity. By giving presentations and hosting discussions on mental health, we educated young minds about the potential of synthetic biology to create positive social change. These activities aimed to inspire students from diverse backgrounds to explore synthetic biology and understand how it can be used to address real-world problems, such as mental health, which is often stigmatized in Eastern cultures.

During the development of PetalGlow, we recognized that many people in China and other Eastern cultures face significant social stigmas around mental health. These stigmas often prevent individuals from seeking traditional treatment, making it crucial for us to develop an accessible, low-cost alternative for managing mild to moderate mental health issues. By interviewing mental health professionals and psychiatrists, such as Dr. Zhong and Nurse Alex, we gained valuable insights into the barriers to mental health care in China, such as the high cost of biological treatments and the cultural resistance to psychological therapy. This helped shape our project's goal of creating an inclusive product that offers therapeutic benefits without the need for medical intervention, medication, or invasive procedures.

Our target audience includes individuals with mild anxiety or depression, students, and plant lovers. In particular, PetalGlow addresses the needs of those who avoid traditional medical treatment due to stigma or financial constraints. We also considered how to make the product more engaging for users by fostering a sense of community. For example, our plans to develop an online platform where users can share plant care tips and mental health experiences will help cultivate a supportive and inclusive community. This community aspect helps ensure that users feel connected and encouraged, rather than isolated, as they navigate their mental health journey.

We extended our efforts to increase inclusivity by reaching out to middle school students with little knowledge of synthetic biology. Through our educational workshops, we provided students with the opportunity to learn about iGEM, our project, and how they can contribute to building a more inclusive world through science. By making synthetic biology concepts more accessible, we hope to inspire the next generation of scientists, ensuring that future advancements in the field are shaped by individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.

Looking forward, our team is committed to further improving PetalGlow to make it even more inclusive. Our plans include:

1. Enhancing brightness to increase the plant's therapeutic effects.

2. Adding interactive elements, allowing the plant to respond to human behavior, which could strengthen its psychological impact.

3. Developing larger bioluminescent plants to cater to different preferences.

4. Expanding the range of light colors to suit individual needs and the preferences of specific communities, including people with visual sensitivities or specific cultural associations with color.

By continuously evolving our project with inclusivity at its core, we aim to create a product that is accessible, effective, and meaningful to a broad range of users, ultimately promoting a more inclusive approach to synthetic biology and mental health care.