Team:XMU-China/After iGEM
Taking part in iGEM at the first time in 2011, more and more undergraduates joined in XMU-China Team, up to 120 teammates up to now. In the past seven years, hundreds of students from Xiamen University captivated by this competition, went to different countries or regions for further education after graduation, including Asia, Europe, and North America. According statistics data, more than 60% of them continued scientific research in colleges or institutes, and more than 75% of them was involved in research about biology, chemistry, and medicine, shown in our additional investigation.
In addition, professors told us that those alumni were all creative and pragmatic, making great contribution toward their present organizations. There's no doubt that we could regard them as the best alumni around the whole campus. By interviewing some of senior students, the history of previous experience about iGEM was pictured vividly, which impressed us deeply and inspired us to work hard for the sake of this precious opportunity.
Previous Instructors and Teammates Met with First PI Prof. Baishan Fang in Xiamen
During the previous preparation, iGEMers could come up with each other well, building a harmonious atmosphere gradually. Therefore, even though after graduation, iGEMers would also prefer to participate in corresponding communication activities, supporting our team from all kinds of aspects. Some living in the proximity of Xiamen would return and instruct our experiments in their spare time, sharing their difficulties and challenges they confronted before, as well as their experience face to face. Those studying aboard would introduce advanced experimental skills and designs in time to us, helping select proper projects. Others also shared their experience online about daily lives, with supportive suggestions. Besides, some alumni in the biology field would like to recruit graduates from our team as trainees for next improvement. What's more, our previous team numbers kept contact with our professors and instructors, coming back to visit and talk about the latest research and tendency about synthetic biology sometimes.
2018 Shenzhen-Hong Kong XMU-China Teammates' Meeting
We expect that 2018 iGEM Foundation could furnish more advice about "After iGEM" activity. Also, we hope to learn more from previous iGEMers.
