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From 2010.igem.org

Communication Plan

Summary

The aim of this plan is to gain benefit in terms of public image for synthetic biology and iGEM. This plan aims to optimise the iGEM communication activities for each of its target audiences.

The first months of the plan, focuses on raising awareness of the iGEM competition, particularly among the media and the TU Delft community.

In the months September till December 2010, an educational program is scheduled. Educational tools prepared in September-October will be available in November - December and we anticipate media interest.

Objectives

iGEM's main objectives are encapsulated in four messages that we passes in our communication activities:

• Awareness
  • Generate positive media coverage of synthetic biology
  • Enhance the visibility and reputation of the iGEM competition and our team at the TU Delft University
  • Raise funds that can finance our project plans
• Perception
  • Pursue the general perception and the perception of scientists about topics concerning synthetic biology
• Education
  • Informing the general public about synthetic biology
• Collaboration
  • Exchange information with other iGEM teams in the competition
  • Recruit a new team for next year’s iGEM competition

Target audiences

The target audiences are groups or individuals at the local, national, or international level with whom we are seeking to develop a synergy and to share information. We can divide our target groups into internal audiences and external audiences. Internal audience are groups that are directly involved in the fieldwork and external clients are groups or individuals with whom the project is not in direct contact during its fieldwork, but with whom we would like to share the knowledge acquired.

Internal audiences

• TU Delft community

To provide students and workers from the different faculties of the TU Delft information about about our iGEM’s activities

• iGEM community

To provide information about the developments of our project and stimulate collaboration among different teams.

• Scientists

To provide information about our project and use their knowledge for the advices and tips of our project.

External audiences

• The general public that isn’t familiar with synthetic biology

To foster engagement with synthetic biology.

• Government

To contribute in public debates around synthetic biology

• Industry

To encourage sponsoring. Participation in the competition needs to be funded.

• (High)schools

To provide information about synthetic biology and iGEM and stimulate interest for Life Sciences in general.

These audiences will be reached through the following vectors:

• Media (television, radio)
• Visits and Exhibitions (musea)
• Publications (print and electronic)
• Internet (website, twitter, facebook)

Key messages

Every audience has its own key message, the key messages are differentiated to specific audiences.

TU Delft community

• Participating in the iGEM competition is very instructive and fun and a great opportunity to gain international contacts.

iGEM community

• Collaboration between iGEM teams is very useful for both iGEM teams

Scientists

• TU Delft is participating in the iGEM competition 2010
• iGEM competition is a useful tool to gain the interest of students for Synthetic Biology
• Knowledge and assistance of experts is very useful to iGEM teams

The general public

• Synthetic Biology has many future potential benefits for the society.
• Scientists and students are aware of the public impact of their work and do consider the ethical consequences of their work.

Industry

• Sponsors are crucial to an iGEM team
• Sponsoring an iGEM team is a good promotion
• Budget money is carefully spent

(High)schools

• Synthetic Biology is a new and interesting field.

Tactics

In the timeframe from March until December we want to fulfill our objectives using the following communications tools.

• Develop a team logo and common graphic standards

Visual material of sufficient clarity and quality will be developed that people associate with our iGEM team.

• Develop targeted print publication (brochures, booklet)

A booklet will be made after we come back from the Jamboree that contains our iGEM experience.

• Develop website

The website will show our project, the team and all our activities of the summer. Our blog will be regularly updated. In this way our advisors, sponsors and other iGEM teams can follow our progress and possibly interest new sponsors. There will also be room for interaction with the public. People can add suggestions at our blog.

• Publish electronic newsletters

Short updates about our iGEM activities to show our sponsors their contribution to our team

• Prepare talks

Give detailed presentation about our project at the University of Delft and at the companies of our sponsors to show our sponsors their contribution to our team.

• Use available media (websites, facebook, twitter, television, radio) to pronounce our messages

Regular twitter and facebook update will be made this summer to show the fun we have participating in iGEM. Different media will be attracted to inform the public about synthetic biology and our project.

• Movies

To investigate how synthetic biology exits in the public we will interview people familiar with synthetic biology as well as people that are not, about their opinion of synthetic biology. Furthermore we will make some fun movies to attract people's attention.

• Publications
• Visits and exhibitions

We will have an exhibition at the [http://www.tudelft.nl/live/pagina.jsp?id=8c26ef08-cead-481f-b86b-9e147c4ff3ab&lang=nl Science Centre Delft]. The Science Centre will open in September 2010 and functions as a bridge between the scientific community of Delft and general public. Visitors consist mainly of high school students and teachers. iGEM's exhibition activity also allows us to communicate through the wider science museum community. Through such collaboration, we aim to stimulate the awareness of synthetic biology around Delft and further afield. Linked to the biotechnology exhibition in the Science Centre we are planning to develop an educational game about synthetic biology in collaboration with students of the Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science faculty.

• Workshop

In collaboration with the [http://www.rathenau.nl/ Rathenau Institute] we will develop a workshop about synthetic biology for schoolteachers. In this workshop we will give the teachers the background information and tools to teach synthetic biology in an educational and fun way which they can use in their own class rooms

• Confronting negative perceptions

As well as the promotion of our project, we need also to be aware of potential negative perceptions of the project, and prepared to handle the inevitable worries that people are already expressing concerning the perceived risk associated with synthetic biology. Our proposed strategy for dealing with this is to put up a comprehensive website dealing with the issues in a frank and open way, and to handle questions in the same way written in plain and simple language. We also want to review all article prior to publication.