Generating promotional materials around biotech and quality of life
A potential tactic to get more attention on Biotech Without Borders while also putting our understanding of science to use for the public good is to create promotional materials that highlight an insight aimed to improve the quality of life for New Yorkers. These materials would be distributed in the physical world, link to our website, and drive traffic to membership and/or programming.
Key Requirements
Broadly applicable insights that are supported by scientific literature
Easily understandable by a popular audience
Can direct attention to membership and/or programming
Current Topic
Chirag had many ideas and based spanning biological safety, pet longevity, garden plant culture and DIY. Based on limited feedback he has decided to focus on air and water quality. There is also interest in linking microplastics to health concerns with projects around testing and filtration being suggested as potential matched programming.
The working title for this campaign is "Safe in the City"
How to use this Thread
Please use this thread to brainstorm ideas and implementations as well as to discuss potential topics. The ultimate goal is to find consensus on topics, the requirements of this project, and execute the creation/ distribution of these materials.
Poll Created Thu 14 Jul 2022 3:58PM
Vote to obtain air monitor for lab for $29. Yes or No. Closed Sun 17 Jul 2022 3:00PM
Could we use $29 of lab funds to obtain https://datasheets.globalspec.com/ds/248/CubicSensorandInstrument/C484CCCD-D4C6-40F7-AF56-6EA00C69E82D
My concern is from fear the last 3 devices I have bought are spy devices sending data to bad actors. I would like address this by multiple measurements with different devices and trying to approach building a device from scrap using metal oxide semiconductor and near infrared detection.
Update and poll:
New program to monitor air in NYC using mobile testing for context and relevant recency.
Results
| Results | Option | % of points | Voters | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Yes | 71.4% | 5 |
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No | 28.6% | 2 |
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| Undecided | 0% | 50 |
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7 of 57 people have participated (12%)
Yuriy Fazylov Thu 14 Jul 2022 3:59PM
I am a little confused as to why? you need it in hopes of seeing contamination on any given day of dust being kicked up?
Ellen Jorgensen Thu 14 Jul 2022 3:59PM
I don't really understand the project, but a member wants to do it, it costs very little, and it produces data available to all.
Danny Thu 14 Jul 2022 3:59PM
I'd like to know more about how this purchase relates to the context of the thread. It could be used to collect data about air quality which is one of the area's we identified as interesting to pursue, but if the project is going to start as a tinkering experiment and a community member (Frank) offered to purchase it themselves then I would be in favour of that before making a official Bwob purchase. I'd also be happy to split the cost (or purchase other electronics useful to the project)
Poll Created Wed 28 Sep 2022 10:21PM
Who is interested in the ideas outlined in the context? Closed Fri 7 Oct 2022 3:02AM
Thanks all for your input. I will close this thread as the only "looks good" response did not provide any context as to how to potentially move forward.
I am assuming that this response is a generic positive response and does not imply a willingness to outline a way to move forward and I am largely discounting it. @Sana Jalili if I am being too forward with this assumption please let me know. If you do want to work with this thread please provide a little more insight as to how you think we should proceed. Even if it doesn't seem to indicate a strong direction for this thread perhaps it might serve as the nucleus for a new thread. I'm happy that Susan summarized an example of how CO2 monitoring could feedback into a campaign for better ventilation in light of the pandemic, we never explicitly said this in the thread, but I had been considering the angle. Thanks for taking the time to explain a (valuable) point of view.
I haven't been able to touch base with Chirag since he left as a member (I intend to later in the Fall). Since he was the originator of this thread and with his departure this thread no longer has a primary instigator, I think we should close the thread to keep the active threads relevant. I'm happy to have hosted a discussion on this topic and hope that it might inspire others to try their hand starting a thread but I question if we currently have the capacity/interest to execute the ideas that were developed here.
It seems to me that based on the last communication on this thread that he wanted to purse the creation of a device to measure air quality. But there was no explanation as to how this would contribute towards a tactic to engage our local community. What do others think about the the thread?
Results
| Results | Option | % of points | Voters | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Looks good | 12.5% | 1 |
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| Not sure yet | 50.0% | 4 |
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| Close the thread | 37.5% | 3 |
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| Undecided | 0% | 61 |
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8 of 69 people have participated (11%)
Danny
Wed 28 Sep 2022 10:24PM
I don't see how creating the device feeds into the initial context. I also am unsure who would take the initiative on executing the work that is being discussed in this thread. But I am abstaining at the moment.
Susan Harrington
Wed 28 Sep 2022 10:22PM
The underlying motivation is great, but the project is too broad at this point. Some of these problems seem to be superficially more related to chemistry and physics than to DIY biology (which is fine).
Eg, due to Covid, there is an urgent need to improve air quality. Air quality scientists have come up with great low cost solutions, but there is huge resistance to actually using them, eg in schools. Cheap CO2 monitors might be the most helpful device, but raising awareness is critical.
Danny · Sat 16 Jul 2022 3:06PM
A brief review of air quality projects on hackaday (thank my partner for having the wherewithal to look for something that's out there) turned up this project which uses a similar sensor.
https://hackaday.io/project/167714-canairio-air-quality-network
They have some pretty extensive documentation here.