Reimagining the Science of Type 1 Diabetes - interactive workshop

Student - Janelle (Courtney) Osei Dapaa

Supervisor - Timothy Tree

Reimagining Science is a synergistic product of a video game-based workshop (https://youtube.com/@reimaginingscience?feature=shared) with documentary elements that is built around a flexible game template (https://www.canva.com/design/DAGiKgPWwsw/aqvAI9NJ63xZ3ZfjlNY8eQ/view?utm_content=DAGiKgPWwsw&utm_campaign=desig nshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=hbf748134e9), it is designed to engage the Type 1 Diabetes community and therefore can be tailored to its different groups. The project involves recording workshop sessions and sharing them on YouTube, enabling virtual participation and extending the impact of the science being communicated. The workshop consists of four sections:

1. Trivia Challenge – A fun, competitive way to differentiate T1D from Type 2 Diabetes (T2D). 2. Pathogenesis Storytelling – Participants create analogies to explain T1D’s development, reaffirming their understanding and fostering a creative imagination about this complex construct.

3. T1D Research at Tree Lab – A showcase of a specific experiment to spark curiosity.

4. Reflection Session – Thought-provoking questions to encourage critical appreciation of science. T1D is a heterogenous disease that affects people of all backgrounds, predominantly with juvenile onset.

The project targets those unfamiliar or disengaged with science, including individuals living with T1D, their families, and their social networks. Given that many minority groups remain underrepresented/excluded and sometimes hidden in science communication, this initiative places special emphasis on inclusivity, aiming to inspire interest, self-learning, and empowerment within the T1D community so that they can then REIMAGINE SCIENCE.