This 7-minute video was developed as part of the Building with Biology project and is designed to help create conversations in museums among scientists and public audiences about the emerging field of synthetic biology and its societal implications.
In this Building with Biology activity, visitors explore the potential for engineered viruses to deliver beneficial, targeted genetic information to sites throughout the body, and discuss their hopes and concerns regarding this technology. Visitors create a model of the technology...
This is a hands-on Building with Biology activity. Visitors learn about the ways synthetic biologists can solve problems through creativity and the engineering process. Visitors are first challenged to design a superhero (by attaching cut-out features to a paper template,...
This welcome letter will introduce you to the Building with Biology kit, walking you through the contents of the physical and digital kits, as well as the basics of museum-scientist collaborations and the reporting/evaluation requirements for recipients of physical kits....
This is a collection of colorful, printable reference sheets on the basics of synthetic biology and related fields of study. Using illustrations and simple language, the sheets describe the essentials of genes and DNA, traditional agricultural breeding, genetic engineering, and...
As gene editing techniques become more refined, the possibility of editing the human genome is moving from science fiction to reality. In this forum, participants have a chance to discuss the future of human genome editing and important concerns for...
These materials will help prepare you, your staff, and your event volunteers for a successful and engaging Building with Biology event. Included are the event orientation presentation (with notes) and the tips for conversations reference sheet.
Here is a selection of NISE Net Building with Biology press photos! Please use these images for marketing Building with Biology events, and in creating other related materials. These photos are free for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0...
These "passports" can be used at your Building with Biology event to help visitors keep track of everything they've done there—they can collect stamps to mark when they've talked to a scientist, asked a question about synthetic biology, shared an...
These colorful, printable posters introduce visitors to the principles of synthetic biology. One shows synthetic biologists at work, and the other features the student teams at the 2014 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) synthetic biology competition.
"Bio Bistro" is a card-based personal choice activity, in which visitors decide what current and future synthetic biology-based food products they would, would not, or might eat. They share their opinions on why they made each choice, and discuss what...
On your mark, get set, explore your new Building with Biology 2016 kit! Join us as we walk you through your new public engagement kit filled with hands-on activities, a public forum, and educational and professional development resources about synthetic...
In this Building with Biology activity, visitors consider the potential advantages and disadvantages of various areas of synthetic biology research, before investing in them with "tech tokens." Then, visitors assume the role of a different character, and consider how that...
This is a hands-on activity in which visitors learn about the fundamental component of biology and synthetic engineering: DNA. In the activity, visitors will extract visible DNA from wheat germ, and create necklaces to display their own sample of wheat...
This is a Building with Biology forum in which participants have a chance to learn about a synthetic biology topic and then engage in a guided conversation and make a plan of action. In this case, the participants are both...
These stickers can be used at your Building with Biology event to help visitors identify scientist volunteers. Each sticker says "I'm a scientist," and invites visitors to ask the wearer how they are building with biology. (Spanish versions also available.)
This online workshop covers what a forum is and how hosting a forum might benefit your Building with Biology event and institution - it's a great way to engage adult audiences! We'll discuss each of the two forum topics that...
This page contains all the logos and specifications for making your own Building with Biology event and marketing materials. Each logo comes in jpg, png, and AI file formats.
These files contain digital copies of a wide variety of promotional materials for your Building with Biology event. They include multiple formats of ready-to-print and customizable ads, posters, and banners. Collections of sample press photos and Building with Biology logos...
New tools—like "CRISPR"—are making it possible to edit DNA with great precision. Soon, we will be able to accurately alter targeted sections of the genome of other animals and plants, as well as our own DNA. But should we? In...
Welcome to the Building with Biology project! The evaluation letter contained here explains both the required and optional reporting of your Building with Biology event, and includes links to further online resources and contact information for any questions you might...
The Building with Biology kit is designed to help museum and scientist partners engage public audiences in conversations and hands-on activities about the field of synthetic biology and the ways this emerging technology is interconnected with society.
This is a detailed guide for planning and promoting your Building with Biology event. The guide covers each step of preparing for your event, recruiting and training volunteers and scientist partners, facilitating conversations during the event, and evaluating the event...
This is a set of printable materials for your Building with Biology events. These materials invite visitors to imagine all the ways that new technologies and techniques of synthetic biology could affect their lives, now and in the future. Visitors...
In 2016, 200 Building with Biology kits were distributed to museums and informal science education organizations around the country. Kit recipients hosted events with hands-on activities and forum programs that fostered public engagement with science about synthetic biology. This online...