Interactive visualisation of the nano-world set to change the way chemistry & physics is taught in schools.

DS FESTIVAL -118Cutting edge science communication company Interactive Scientific (iSci), renowned for their multi-award winning danceroom Spectroscopy (dS), a captivating visualisation of human energy fields interacting with the atomic world developed by Bristol’s Pervasive Media Studio residents Royal Society Research Fellow Dr. David Glowacki and Phill Tew, has been awarded SBRI funding from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency to develop the next-generation of teaching tools aimed at helping young people understand complex science.

Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of nature and they are in constant motion all around us – a concept that can be difficult to comprehend when learning science using textbooks or static models. With new educational tools developed by Glowacki, Tew and their team, students will be able to see and manipulate models of the atomic and molecular world, aiding their understanding and inspiring them to discover more.

The dS project has developed out of Dr. David Glowacki’s research into computational molecular physics, he says, “dS has proven fantastically successful in captivating and engaging wide audiences worldwide, inspiring specialists and non-specialists alike to think about the frontiers between scientific imagination and aesthetic representation. The SBRI funding will allow us to extend the dS framework to build a sort of “nano glove-box” and we are calling on schools, teachers and designers to help us with the development. It will be fascinating to investigate the way in which this product can harness dS’s excellent engagement track record in order to drive new forms of science education giving school children and the general public at large an interactive glimpse into the otherwise invisible molecular world.”

Over the next six months, using the funding from Innovate UK, the team hands3will work closely with teachers and students in secondary education to design a tool that can easily be implemented in schools. This will involve carrying out research and development aimed at determining the best design for improving pupils’ understanding of science, improving exam results, and inspiring them to explore the nano-scale atomic world further.

To take part in the danceroom Spectroscopy education project contact:
Dr Rebecca Sage | beckysage@interactivescientific.com

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