Team:UESTC-China/HP/Gold Integrated
Gold-integrated
More than engagement ( Click here to see our engagement project ),we integrated supporting research in our human practice. To know common pesticide contamination and public biosecurity awareness, we sent three kinds of customized questionnaires to different people. The questionnaires made us know the TCP，which is harmful. Subsequently, we learned about the presence of a large number of TCP by detecting soil from soil survey. We know that we cannot solve the problems well which related to human development only by research. With the help of experts’ power, we can make it more professional and more in-depth. Therefore, we have built a ‘Global League of Professors’ to guide our projects. So we contacted with experts from several countries and universities all over the world about plants or environment by emails, videos and face to face interview, More importantly, our project has been widely concerned in the academic community with the help of their contacts and resources.
Diversity survey
☁ Questionnaire for industrial and agricultural producers
We interviewed the main potential producers of pollution sources: factories and farmland, and sent them some questionnaires to try to understand whether there could be TCP residues in plant waste and pesticides. After the investigation, we talked to them, listened to their views on soil pollution, and taught farmers some basic ways to prevent excessive use of land and prevent pollution.
Analysis: We found from this questionnaire that peasants use the most pesticides as insecticide.
☁ Questionnaire for local residents
Ordinary local residents are the most vulnerable population to soil pollution. Their living conditions and their attitudes are a matter of great concern to us. Before we identified the project theme, we investigated the environmental concerns of the public and collected their opinions towards synthetic biology. Combined with the work that iGEM had done a few years ago, we found that soil contamination was a widespread problem that had not yet be well addressed.
Analysis: We found from this questionnaire that there is no correct understanding of biosafety.
☁ Questionnaires distributed all over China
Hundreds of volunteers distributed a total of 500 questionnaires throughout the country, and we analyzed those questionnaires from different areas and accumulated most valuable information and statistics.
Analysis: We found from this questionnaire that half of the people agreed with the plants to solve the soil.
Connection with experts
Soil pollution is a widespread problem. To solve the problem, we can not only rely on ourselves unilaterally, so we need to get elites from each aspect of society involved. Therefore, we interviewed experts around the world in the field of biotechnology and environment, hoping that they can bring us some useful advice. And we leave our footprints throughout the world map to build a comprehensive and holistic view.
☁ New York University, Professor Christine A. Rushlow
This summer, in Chengdu, we met professor Chris Rushlow of the New York University Graduate School professor, and left a mailbox, after we asked for the permission of professor, we discussed our project, and professor gave us some suggestions.
☁ University of Glasgow，professor Yin Huabing
During the summer holiday, we had the honor of inviting professor Yin Huabing of University of Glasgow and a small lecture on synthetic biology was held at the coffee shop. Then UESTC-China team had an interview with Professor, she told us to participate in international events (such as iGEM) for us to widen sight and improve scientific research ability is of great help, our team member told the difficulties on our project to professor, and she gave us a good answer
☁ Tsinghua University ，professor Sui Senfang
Tsinghua University professor Sui Senfang visited the University of Electronic Science and technology, at the forum, members of iGEM and professor discussed why the experiment was not detected in Hhec, Professor Sui provided some instructive thoughts to us:
（1）Probably because our protein expression is too low, the protein can not be polymerized to form tetraploid , and can not be detected.
（2）Page electrophoresis can be used to determine whether the product is a monomer or a four polymer.
☁ We contacted the Sun researcher of the Shanxi Institute of soil engineering and conducted a video interview with him
☁ Other professors
We also contacted professor Duan of University of Chicago, Professor Keer of University of Edinburgh and Professor Li of Southwest Jiao Tong University
Soil survey
The breadth and efficiency of the project are our top priorities. We hope that we can grasp the basic conditions of China's TCP pollution, in order to evaluate, the environmental complexity forour super plants.
We recruited 61 volunteers in 57 districts and collected hundreds of local soil samples from their hometowns. Then we examined each and every one of them.
The results show that there are TCP contamination in Gansu Province, Hebei Province and some parts of Sichuan Province (Panzhihua, etc.), and there is no TCP in Guizhou, Anhui, Liaoning and Shandong provinces.
What's more
To integrate, you can see more fascinating activities in our engagement page.
