Our Team
Our team is inherently inclusive, with members representing different states and diverse voices across India, including Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, and West Bengal. With a range of cultures and perspectives, we came together to pursue the common objectives of our project. Our team's linguistic diversity, with members collectively speaking around 8 languages, allows us to include fluent speakers in planning human practices to ensure effective communication and mutual understanding.
Our team was diverse with respect to educational background, which included academic tracks in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, and data sciences. This interdisciplinary mix allowed us to approach from multiple perspectives and promote more innovative and well-rounded problem-solving.
Regional Inclusivity
To extend our project’s reach across diverse regions, we integrated our science communication efforts into every location we visited, addressing the pressing issues surrounding sandalwood oil and plastic waste. Our outreach included engaging communities in Mysore and Bangalore, visiting various railway stations, schools in Trivandrum, and colleges attended by our team members, and participating in numerous functions and conferences apart from our local reach. We also leveraged online platforms to broaden our impact, ensuring our message reached a wide audience. A highlight of our efforts was the All India iGEM meet (AIIM) at IISc Bangalore, which provided an invaluable opportunity to interact with other iGEM teams from across India and gather diverse insights.
Tribal settlement
Indigenous medicinal plants, long used by tribal communities, have significant untapped global health and wellness potential. Despite their centuries-old therapeutic value, many tribal groups are unaware of their commercial viability. As global interest in natural remedies rises [1], scaling up these plants using synthetic biology could benefit both the global market and the local communities that have preserved this knowledge. Expanding the use of natural remedies can create economic opportunities and help preserve important cultural knowledge.
Including tribal communities in our human practices provided us with a valuable opportunity to spotlight the often-overlooked world of Indian indigenous medicine, particularly the medicinal plants used by the Kani tribes in the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve near our campus. Following this, we organised an outreach event in the tribal settlements, where we provided resources and support, including assistance with local schools. We carried out these activities in their language to make sure we communicated well and engaged meaningfully, showing our commitment to inclusivity and respect for their culture. Check out our Education page to know more.
Art
By blending creativity with scientific knowledge, art humanizes science and makes it relatable and memorable. Art has the power to transform how science is communicated, making complex ideas accessible to a wider audience. When woven into scientific narratives, it acts as a bridge, breaking down barriers and reaching people who may feel excluded from traditional science communication.
Drawing session as feedback
After our tree plantation event on Environment Day, we held feedback in the form of a drawing session at the Government Welfare School (GWS) in Maruthamala. We asked them to depict the world from nature's point of view, including its beauty, resilience, and free from human actions. This activity helped them understand the importance of safeguarding nature. Through their artwork, they expressed their hopes and concerns for the environment, highlighting our responsibility to protect the planet.
Photography contest
On the occasion of World Biodiversity Day, we organised a photography contest, inviting students from all over to submit their entries depicting India’s rich biodiversity. The contest showcased a wide range of stunning nature photographs, capturing the diverse ecosystems and wildlife. The images shared across our social media platforms provided viewers with a bird’s-eye view of the country’s natural beauty while emphasising the importance of conservation; by showcasing the incredible variety of life in India.
Synbio book
We created a synbio book to spark interest in synthetic biology among school kids from classes 9 to 12, presenting the concepts through a fun and engaging comic-style format. To spark more creativity, we included some blank pages at the end for students to draw microorganisms and envision them with superpowers. This imaginative approach encourages kids to think beyond the textbook and explore the exciting possibilities of synthetic biology playfully. Visit our contributions page to learn more.
Trashion
As part of our focus on fashion and cosmetics, we also promote sustainability in every aspect possible. To drive this, we introduced 'Trashion', a nationwide event held across fashion institutes where students create outfits from waste materials, such as plastic and cut-sew scraps. This initiative encourages recycling and highlights sustainable art, showing how creativity can meet innovation.
Languages
Promotional resources
Many people are unaware of the issues we’re addressing, and communicating these problems while incorporating their feedback can be challenging due to language barriers. This is especially relevant for human practices, where using the audience's language facilitates effective communication, creating a two-way dialogue. To address this, we made sure that information about our project was available in languages that resonate with local communities. Consequently, we produced pamphlets, promotional materials, and documentary videos in several widely spoken Indian languages. This approach helps us bridge communication gaps and engage a broader audience effectively.
Collab with team iGEM KCIS-Xiugang-Taipei
Expanding our reach beyond Indian languages, our collaboration with team KCIS-Xiugang-Taipei significantly enhanced our global visibility. They helped distribute postcards featuring our project description and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in various languages from around the world. These postcards were displayed in their library, effectively introducing our project to diverse international audiences and fostering a broader understanding of our work on a global scale.
Reaching out to differently-abled Communities
Dyslexic and Color Blind Friendly
In our commitment to inclusivity, we ensured that our wiki included dyslexic-friendly fonts and colour-blind-friendly colour palettes. This approach was not limited to the wiki itself. It can be seen throughout our pamphlets and presentations, all designed with these accessibility considerations in mind. The consistent use of Open Sans and blue colour across all our designs reflects our commitment to accessibility to individuals with colour blindness and dyslexia.
Bridging the gender gap
Visit to Kudumbashree
Focusing on women's empowerment, and with a majority of women on our team, we held a talk for Kudumbashree members to celebrate their 26th anniversary. The Kudumbashree initiative, dedicated to poverty eradication and women's empowerment in Kerala, provided an excellent platform for us to connect with local women at the Government Welfare School in Maruthamala. The event highlighted their inspiring dedication and underscored the importance of inclusivity in our empowerment efforts.
During the talk, we covered a range of topics that struck a chord with the audience, such as women's empowerment in STEM, menstrual hygiene, and sustainable alternatives to common products. A key moment was when we introduced menstrual cups as an environmentally friendly choice compared to traditional pads, which tend to add to plastic waste. The women's sincere curiosity sparked insightful questions, enabling us to link these discussions to larger themes of sustainability and health.
Overall, the event fostered an inclusive environment where women felt encouraged to share their thoughts and experiences. By discussing personal and scientific topics together, we aimed to empower these women with knowledge and tools that could enhance their lives and communities.
Collaborating with Mazhavil
Partnering with our Institute's Pride Club, Mazhavil, we initiated an exciting collaboration aimed at highlighting the beauty of cosmetics and fashion across boundaries through engaging social media posts.
Fashion has undergone an exciting transformation, moving away from rigid ideas of male and female styles to embrace more androgynous and gender-neutral looks. Influential designers and the anti-fashion movement are championing inclusivity, using fashion as a powerful means of political expression. Queer fashion icons are stepping into the spotlight, showcasing styles that are not only comfortable but also celebrate diverse identities. This shift highlights a growing sense of unity and cultural richness, making inclusive fashion more prevalent than ever.
In the first post, we dive into the world of queer fashion, exploring how it has evolved over the years. We’ve created a timeline that traces the journey of queer fashion from the 1800s to the 2010s, highlighting significant milestones and cultural influences along the way.
The next instalment in this series presents an interview reel with Maya, a captivating drag queen hailing from Trivandrum.
Maya draws inspiration from the elegant characters of Malayalam media and cinema over the past decade, embodying the timeless grace of a suburban woman in a metro city. Her unique style includes distinctive saree draping, vibrant colours, and bold makeup, all contributing to her story. In the interview, Maya discusses how drag can boost self-confidence and encourages everyone to try it at least once to feel more comfortable in their own skin. She emphasizes that drag is not just an art form but also provides a safe space for queer expression, breaking away from traditional gender norms. However, safe spaces for drag in India are limited and often controlled by existing drag performers. Maya believes that creating more inclusive spaces for expression is a crucial step towards building a welcoming community for all.
Talk with Durga
Durga Shakti (they/them), an iGEM alum from 2011 and India's first drag king and drag queen performer, shared their inspiring journey that intertwines science, art, and gender identity. They began by discussing their experiences in the iGEM competition, which fostered their scientific curiosity and creativity. This collaborative environment not only laid the groundwork for their later explorations in drag but also highlighted how innovation can address real-world problems. As they transitioned into drag, Durga emphasised that this art form transcends conventional gender binaries, allowing for fluid expression and challenging societal expectations. Their performances, breaking the gender boundaries of cosmetics, serve as a powerful medium for self-expression and empowerment, celebrating the diversity of gender identities.
In addition to their drag performances, Durga's artwork draws from personal experiences and broader themes of body image and self-acceptance. They spoke candidly about their struggles with body image, particularly regarding chest binding, which has been a significant aspect of aligning with their true self. Through humor and warmth, Durga created an inviting atmosphere that encouraged open dialogue about self-love and identity. Their journey showcases the importance of embracing one's authentic self while fostering conversations about body positivity and the need to challenge societal norms surrounding gender roles.
