1.Multi-major
As iGEM is a top-tier international competition in the field of synthetic biology that also involves interdisciplinary collaboration across areas such as mathematics, computer science, and statistics, integrating new perspectives from various fields is crucial to developing an exceptional project. During the initial recruitment phase, NJMU-CHINA ensured a diverse composition of team members. In addition to clinical medicine, our team includes students specializing in pediatrics, basic medicine, clinical pharmacy, medical imaging technology, and bioinformatics. We have truly achieved an integration of medical and engineering disciplines, and the dynamic interaction of different fields and viewpoints has endowed our project with remarkable inclusivity, showcasing the strength that such diversity can generate.
2.Women in STEM
We place special emphasis on the contributions of women within our team. We firmly believe that promoting gender equality is not only a matter of social justice but also a crucial pathway to achieving groundbreaking results in science and technology. This year, Nanjing Medical University has seen a large number of talented female representatives who have been continuously encouraged to showcase their expertise throughout the project cycle. These women have taken on significant responsibilities in the areas of experimentation, modeling, web development, and human practices, demonstrating impressive capabilities and excellence. Additionally, we conducted an interview with our esteemed associate professor, Ms. Shi Qirong.
The NJMU-CHINA team demonstrated a high level of language inclusivity throughout the project implementation, which was evident in all aspects such as their teaching materials, survey questionnaires, and online publicity. To ensure that their activities could be understood and embraced by audiences from different language backgrounds, the team meticulously designed bilingual versions (Chinese and English) of their teaching materials and survey questionnaires. This approach not only facilitated communication with international audiences, judges, and partners from diverse cultural backgrounds but also significantly expanded the project's reach, reflecting the team's commitment to establishing a global and inclusive education and promotion system.
Given the special nature of their target groups, which included elementary school children and the elderly, the NJMU-CHINA team carried out tailored language optimization. For the elderly, they used simple, everyday language in their materials, avoiding overly academic or technical terms to ensure that the knowledge related to the project could be easily understood and mastered in a short period. Through multiple interactions with elderly communities, the team gained insights into this group's language expression and comprehension habits and made timely adjustments to the content and expressions in subsequent activities, ensuring a more approachable and practical experience. For young children, the team adopted lively and engaging language and teaching methods, using stories and cartoon characters to introduce and explain synthetic biology concepts. In their survey design, they included extra explanations to help younger participants better understand the questions, thus improving the engagement and accuracy of the survey.
Additionally, the NJMU-CHINA team made full use of the multilingual potential of social media platforms, presenting science popularization content in bilingual form on QQ, WeChat, Bilibili, TikTok, and other platforms, while also organizing knowledge challenge activities that attracted participants of all age groups. This multi-channel and multilingual publicity strategy not only increased awareness of the team’s project but also promoted the dissemination of synthetic biology knowledge. On platforms like Xiaohongshu, the team conducted interactive activities in a question-and-answer format, enabling users from different language backgrounds to participate in scientific discussions, thereby reflecting the team's inclusivity and respect for diverse communities.
In summary, the NJMU-CHINA team consistently adhered to the principle of language inclusivity throughout the project by designing bilingual teaching and survey materials and optimizing language usage for different audiences. They thoroughly considered the language needs and comprehension abilities of each group. This practice of language inclusivity allowed the team to maintain effective and smooth communication when interacting with audiences of all ages and diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, facilitating the successful implementation and promotion of the project, and achieving the widespread dissemination and popularization of scientific knowledge.
The NJMU-CHINA team demonstrated a high level of material inclusivity throughout their project implementation, consistently addressing the needs of various special groups, especially children and the elderly, ensuring that every participant could benefit. When conducting educational and science popularization activities, the team carefully considered the unique characteristics of special needs children, such as those with autism and congenital heart disease, and designed and prepared a variety of teaching materials tailored to their specific requirements. These materials not only met relevant safety standards but also effectively stimulated the children's interest, allowing them to engage with scientific knowledge in a relaxed and enjoyable environment, fostering a keen interest in synthetic biology.
In their educational activities, the team thoughtfully selected a range of teaching tools, including puzzles, clay, picture books, and oil pastels. These materials not only captured the children's attention and helped them understand and learn abstract scientific concepts more effectively but also fully complied with safety standards, eliminating any potential health risks for the children. The use of puzzles allowed synthetic biology concepts to be presented in a vivid and engaging manner while also enhancing the children’s hands-on skills and logical thinking abilities. The clay provided an infinite creative space where children could grasp the structure and functioning of the microscopic world, such as cells and molecules, through hands-on creation. Picture books and oil pastels offered a colorful and entertaining learning environment, stimulating their imagination and creativity.
NJMU-CHINA paid particular attention to the safety and environmental friendliness of the materials, ensuring that all teaching tools underwent strict quality checks and met national safety standards for children’s products, guaranteeing they were non-toxic and harmless. This attention to detail demonstrated the team’s care and respect for special needs children, allowing them to engage with scientific knowledge in a safe and reassuring learning environment. Moreover, the team created project-specific merchandise, such as small dolls, stationery, and stickers featuring synthetic biology elements, which cleverly combined scientific knowledge with everyday items, further enhancing the fun and interactivity of the science popularization activities and bringing science closer to children.
In the design of promotional brochures, NJMU-CHINA also displayed a high degree of inclusivity. They fully considered the reading habits of both children and the elderly, using large fonts and brightly colored illustrations as the main presentation method. This approach made the brochures more visually appealing, clear, and easy to understand, facilitating reading for both seniors and children. This design philosophy not only met the visual perception and information acquisition needs of children but also reflected the team’s thoughtfulness and care for the elderly, allowing them to grasp the core content of the project quickly. All these efforts indicate that the team’s promotional materials were not just about disseminating information but were tailored to meet the practical needs of the audience, aiming to effectively convey scientific knowledge and truly achieve educational inclusivity and fairness.
Notably, the NJMU-CHINA team adjusted the use and presentation of materials according to the characteristics of different audiences. For example, when interacting with children with autism, team members guided them in using puzzles and clay, helping them express themselves better, participate in activities, and gradually learn scientific knowledge in the process. When addressing the elderly, the team used images and simplified language to translate complex scientific principles into relatable, everyday scenarios. This flexible and inclusive teaching method enabled the team’s activities to proceed smoothly and received widespread praise from audiences of all ages.
In conclusion, the NJMU-CHINA team consistently upheld a people-centered approach, demonstrating exceptional material inclusivity throughout the project. Through their scientific, safe, and engaging teaching tools, as well as well-targeted and visually appealing promotional brochures, they ensured that groups of different ages and needs could find points of interest and enjoy a positive learning experience during the activities. This emphasis on inclusivity for special needs children and the elderly fully showcased the team's genuine commitment to science popularization and social responsibility, making their project not just a vehicle for disseminating scientific knowledge but also a practice of equality, respect, and compassion.
The NJMU-CHINA team demonstrated a high degree of inclusivity in activity design throughout the implementation of their project, carefully considering the practical needs and characteristics of special groups to ensure that every participant had a positive experience. In particular, when interacting with special needs children, such as those with autism, depression, and congenital heart disease, the team consistently adhered to a people-centered philosophy. They actively communicated with experts, doctors, teachers, and parents to gain a deep understanding of these children's physical and psychological characteristics. Through these interactions, the team continuously learned and accumulated relevant experience to design activities that were not only engaging but also tailored to the unique abilities of these children. For example, they discovered that children with autism often feel anxious when participating in social activities, so they avoided overly complex tasks and instead opted for simple, easy-to-understand interactive games, allowing these children to build confidence and a sense of participation in a relaxed environment.
In the design process, the NJMU-CHINA team paid close attention to each child's individual needs, striving to ensure they had a positive experience. When working with children suffering from depression, the team emphasized activities that were uplifting and encouraging, creating a warm and supportive environment where they felt cared for and respected. When interacting with children with congenital heart disease, the team was particularly mindful of the pace and intensity of the activities, ensuring that they didn’t impose any additional strain on their health. This personalized approach to activity design allowed the team to successfully combine education, science popularization, and psychological care, demonstrating a profound understanding and inclusivity toward special needs children.
The team also exhibited a high level of inclusivity in their survey activities. Recognizing that the survey participants were mainly children aged 7-12, who might find it challenging to complete the questionnaire independently, the NJMU-CHINA team adopted a one-on-one interview format. This approach not only helped the children better understand the questions but also allowed them to express their true thoughts in a relaxed conversation. The team members remained patient and gentle during these interactions, guiding the children to gradually express their opinions and feelings, ensuring the authenticity and validity of the survey results. This face-to-face survey method not only improved the efficiency and accuracy of data collection but also made the children feel valued and cared for, enhancing their enthusiasm for participating in the activities.
When engaging with the elderly, the NJMU-CHINA team again demonstrated their dedication to inclusivity in activity design. Upon learning that many seniors faced difficulties using modern technology, such as smartphones, the team promptly adjusted their activity plan to include smartphone training courses tailored to this demographic. Starting with the basics, they patiently explained each step to help seniors overcome their fear of technology and gradually master smartphone skills. They also designed practical exercises, such as teaching them how to make phone calls, send WeChat messages, and take photos, ensuring that they could apply these skills in their daily lives. This activity not only addressed the practical needs of the elderly but also increased their understanding and confidence in modern technology, enabling them to integrate more effectively into the digital society. Through this approach, the team demonstrated a deep understanding and empathy for the learning and living needs of seniors, fostering closer connections and achieving the dual goals of science education and social care.
Overall, the NJMU-CHINA team consistently upheld the principle of inclusivity in their activity design. Whether for special needs children, the elderly, or other groups, they invested considerable time and effort in understanding, learning, and adapting to ensure that each participant had the most suitable experience. This inclusivity was evident not only in the design of the activities but also in the team's attention to detail and respect for different groups. It was this commitment to inclusivity in activity design that enabled the NJMU-CHINA team to achieve remarkable results in science education and establish a model of social care and compassion, providing warmth, understanding, and respect to many special groups.
