A HOLOtta fun with Star Clusters: Learning about Star Formation using 3D Holograms
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Leeds
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Our aim with this project is to (i) disseminate our cutting edge Star Formation research findings; (ii) to inspire and enthuse low science capital upper and lower secondary school (ages 11-19) children about Star Formation/astronomy in West Yorkshire; and (iii) promote awareness of the collaborative nature of scientific research. Throughout the lifetime of the project we aim to reach 350 children (+16 teachers) from 8 schools through their participation in our workshops.
Planned Impact
- Distribution of Produced Resources -
The companion hologram videos will be made available on the projects Youtube channel (NOT funded by the STFC Public Engagement Award).
- Informing Scientists, Educators & Communicators -
(1) Online Publication of the Final Report
The final report we will produce for science communicators at the end of the project (see objectives) will be published online.
(2) Presentation of Result at Conferences
We will present our findings (what worked & what didn't) annually at national conferences throughout the lifetime of the project. These UK conferences will include, but will not be limited to:
[i] The National Astronomy Meeting
Website: https://nam2017.org/science/parallel-sessions/details/2/22
Description: An annual astronomy meeting run by the Royal Astronomical Society in various locations throughout the UK. More than 1000 attendees participated in the 2017 conference. Each year it hosts a number of parallel sessions to discuss specialist topics, including Outreach. The outreach session is designed to showcase of some of the most innovative projects in the UK and in 2017 included a teacher's panel.
[ii] The BIG event
Website: https://www.big.uk.com/morebigevent/
Description: An annual conference run by the BIG STEM Communicators Network which is designed for anyone involved in the public engagement with science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to disseminate/discuss their skills and ideas. Normal attendance is 150-200 participants.
The companion hologram videos will be made available on the projects Youtube channel (NOT funded by the STFC Public Engagement Award).
- Informing Scientists, Educators & Communicators -
(1) Online Publication of the Final Report
The final report we will produce for science communicators at the end of the project (see objectives) will be published online.
(2) Presentation of Result at Conferences
We will present our findings (what worked & what didn't) annually at national conferences throughout the lifetime of the project. These UK conferences will include, but will not be limited to:
[i] The National Astronomy Meeting
Website: https://nam2017.org/science/parallel-sessions/details/2/22
Description: An annual astronomy meeting run by the Royal Astronomical Society in various locations throughout the UK. More than 1000 attendees participated in the 2017 conference. Each year it hosts a number of parallel sessions to discuss specialist topics, including Outreach. The outreach session is designed to showcase of some of the most innovative projects in the UK and in 2017 included a teacher's panel.
[ii] The BIG event
Website: https://www.big.uk.com/morebigevent/
Description: An annual conference run by the BIG STEM Communicators Network which is designed for anyone involved in the public engagement with science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to disseminate/discuss their skills and ideas. Normal attendance is 150-200 participants.
| Title | Hologram Videos |
| Description | We created specially formatted videos of astronomical objects which when played in combination with our hologram device (truncated acrylic pyramid) created the illusion of 3D holograms of the object. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Impact | The videos were used in all our listed engagement activities. It has engaged our audiences and sparked many discussions of the physics underpinning the astronomical objects, and the holograms themselves. |
| Description | The project involved the use of Pepper's ghost technique to demonstrate "holograms" to school students, in order to engage them with the physical pronciples (light, and whatever hologram was shown being the two areas that were discussed most). |
| Exploitation Route | The main participants in the school visits, Anne Buckner and Erin McNeill are both keen to start such visits again at some time. At the moment this is not possible. However, the equipment purchased for the demonstrations is still in working order. |
| Sectors | Education |
| Description | The Pepper's ghost technique was used to design a pseudo-hologram which could be transported to schools, with sufficient scale to allow a class (typically pre-GCSE) to view the results all at once (based around a 32 inch screen as the driver). This was coupled with simulations of astronomical data, initially those which were widely available, but eventually also those developed within Leeds. These demonstrated how gravity shapes how stars form, and together with the demonstration of the optical pronciples of Pepper's ghost, was used to try and show students how the physics they were studying related to wider examples. Demonstrations were also held at public events in Leeds, and at Educational Symposia. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
| Sector | Education |
| Description | How To Catch a Star - PhD research, December 2018 |
| Organisation | Kingston University London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We participated in the "How To Catch a Star" (scientific visual imaginary) PhD research project of Pamela Brenda (School of Art, Kingston University London). We gave an interview on how we are using holograms to teach astrophysics, and photos were taken of our equipment/the holograms. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Exposure for our hologram project. |
| Impact | Multidisciplinary: Astrophysics & Art |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Title | Truncated Pyramid & Support System |
| Description | To create holograms we designed a large truncated pyramid (and support system) made from acrylic sheets to fit a 65"and 32" TV screen. While the acrylic truncated pyramids not new technology, we are not aware of one being designed this large previously. Accommodating for pyramids of this size and weight presented significant challenges. |
| Type Of Technology | Physical Model/Kit |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Impact | This technical product enabled us to create large 3D holograms of astronomical objects. |
| Description | Careers Event, Co-op Academy Oakwood, November 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | 150 primary school students presented to about careers in astrophysics research, students learned about new careers |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Demonstration at the Bolton Lecture, November 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We demonstrated astronomy-related holograms in the foyer of the lecture, which sparked questions and discussion of both astronomy and the physics of holograms after the lecture had finished. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Eurkea! Lates, July 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Participaton in the Lates program at Eurkea! The Children's Museum as part of their adult programming. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | From Gas to Stars: The Links between Massive Star and Star Cluster Formation Conference, York, September 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | poster presentation and demonstration of the holograms |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Fulneck School, September 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Workshop delivered to students aged 11-14. Teachers were really pleased with the workshops and fed back that their students learning more about star formation through the interactive workshop and that their views on physics had improved. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Hologram Worskhop, July 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | We gave our hologram workshop to participants of the University of Leeds Physics Summer School (KS5 pupils). During the workshop we: - explained how stars form - explained the physics of how holograms are made - got the pupils to make personal smart-phone sized hologram devices so that they can generate holograms on their phones/at home. Pupils reported that they better understood how stars form and that they found the holograms engaging (compared to standard 2D presentations). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | How To Catch a Star- December 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | We demoed our hologram device and gave an interview about it to Pamela Breda, a PhD researcher of scientific visual imaginary, School of Art, Kingston University London. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.kingston.ac.uk/research/research-degrees/research-degree-students/profile/pamela-breda-1... |
| Description | Led activity at Be Curious Festival , University of Leeds, March 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | 240 people attended this ticketed event, where research spanning the astrophysics group was presented, as was the first prototype "hologram science" display, and a lower level strand using an inflatable planetarium. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Leeds Digital Festival, May 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Exhibited as part of Leeds Digital Festival 2019 alongside other engagement practioners and researchers, sharing our device and learning from others about how they use digital technologies to have impactful research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.leeds.ac.uk/forstaff/news/article/6658/explore_our_digital_education_and_research |
| Description | Leeds University Be Curious Open Day 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Approximately 50-100 people attended our contribution "New Stars, New Worlds" to the Leeds University Be Curious Open Day in March 2019. The event was aimed at members of the general public, with especial interest from primary age children in teh holograms demonstrated. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | National Astronomy Meeting 2019, Lancaster University, July 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Poster presentation, demonstration of the holograms and media interviews. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Opening of the Centre of Immersive Technologies, June 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | To mark the opening of the Centre of Immersive Technologies at the University of Leeds, we exhibited the public engagement workshop to senior leadership at the University and academics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | Presentation at Show and TEL, December 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Show and TEL is a joint event put on by the University of Leeds Faculties of Environment and Mathematics&Physical Sciences to showcase innovative interactive teaching methods. We gave a presentation/demoed of our hologram approach to academics across both faculties. This sparked a discussion and subsequently we have been invited to present at the Leeds Digital Festival by the Faculty of Engineering and the Leeds Institute of Medical Engineering in May 2019. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | School Tours, July 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | 9 workshops delivered in four schools in the Leeds and surrounding areas during July 2019, 270 students aged 11-14 were engaged. Teachers were really pleased with the workshops and fed back that their students learning more about star formation through the interactive workshop and that their views on physics had improved. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| Description | UKRI 1 Year Anniverary Event, June 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | To mark their first anniversary, the UKRI chose Leeds to have their event. We exhibted to showcase the STFC-funded public engagement workshop to senior leadership at the University and the UKRI. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://www.leeds.ac.uk/spotlight-article/68/our_extraordinary_research:_why_leeds_ |
| Description | Workshop at the Advanced HE Conference 2019, Birmingham, January 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We gave a 1-hour workshop at the conference demoing the one we give in schools, the holograms and to advertise holograms as an engaging learning tool. The audience comprised of academics from a range of backgrounds and UK HE institutions. This sparked a discussion and we received feedback that a few were going to adapt the technology/our approach in their disciplines/institutions to make lectures more engaging for students. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/node/35754 |
| Description | Workshop delivery, Homeschool group, January 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | Delivered workshop to a group of 40 homeschooled children and 20 parents; shared the workshop's resources with parents after receiving many requests, lots of good feedback from the organizer who said that the workshop was exciting and new and that many of the older children wanted to follow up on these activities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |