About The Challenge 

Synthetic biology is the engineering of biology: the synthesis of complex systems, biologically inspired or based, which display functions that do not exist in nature. Among its potential applications is the creation of bioengineered microorganisms that can produce pharmaceuticals, detect chemicals, break down pollutants, repair defective genes, destroy cancer cells, generate hydrogen, etc.

Synthetic biology has the potential to bring about epochal changes in medicine, agriculture, industry, ethics. It is crucial to engage not just practitioners and politicians, but the whole society in the debate about how best to guide this research field in a safe and socially useful direction. Gamification is one of the strategies to engage communities and people in science projects. Thus, the aim of the challenge is to engage people with synthetic biology through gaming.

Expected Impact

Potential for impact on an individual and societal level.  

Students will be asked to invent a game focusing on the mechanism, challenges, opportunities and risks of synthetic biology. This could be a board game, a card game, an outdoor game with physical activities, a role-playing game or a videogame.
Teams should define the target, the number of players, the game mode, the goal and the rules and  a business model for their product.

Teams will then present their project in front of a jury and the best project could eventually be implemented and become an educational activity of the museum.

Learning Offering Details

Kick-off, trainings, and mentorship are online. The hackathon is in presence in Trento. ECIU students ask for funding information at their home University.

Application Deadline: 25^th September 2022

How to apply: ECIU platform + SOI platform

Language requirement: English B2 Level, CEFR

Study Plan:

Expected Class composition: 10-15 participants (undergraduate, graduate students, PhD Students, LLL) from ECIU and ACDC project network

Recongition: 3 ECTS

Learning goals:

• Understand  the potential of synthetic biology to address pressing environmental and industrial challenges and making progress towards the targets of SDG 11 “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”.
• Know how to create a game
• Communication skills: learn to engage your stakeholder
• Work in teams
• Apply creativity to generate smart ideas
• Develop an actionable and sustainable action plan