The 21st century is at the beginning of a scientific revolution that will alter the world as radically as the industrial revolution of the 19th century. Whereas the latter rested on the control and engineering of macroscopic objects the new revolution will require the understanding and control of the nanoworld. Controlling nanocomponents lies at the heart of, for example, the clean harnessing of solar energy, the development of smart materials, and the realisation of entirely new concepts in computing. Thus, nanoscience and nanotechnology are buzzwords that are as rife on the academic campus as they are in industrial research laboratories. However, research in nanoscience and nanotechnology has been accompanied by public concerns and much debate has ensued. This debate is necessary and important but it has all but drowned out the sheer excitement, adventure and creativity of probing, understanding and, ultimately, controlling the nanoworld. This project will create an exhibition and public dialogue events that will introduce some of the most interesting and important concepts that drive the nanoworld to the public in a highly accessible and attractive way.

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The 21st century is at the beginning of a scientific revolution that will alter the world as radically as the industrial revolution of the 19th century. Whereas the latter rested on the control and engineering of macroscopic objects the new revolution will require the understanding and control of the nanoworld. Controlling nanocomponents lies at the heart of, for example, the clean harnessing of solar energy, the development of smart materials, and the realisation of entirely new concepts in computing. Thus, nanoscience and nanotechnology are buzzwords that are as rife on the academic campus as they are in industrial research laboratories. However, research in nanoscience and nanotechnology has been accompanied by public concerns and much debate has ensued. This debate is necessary and important but it has all but drowned out the sheer excitement, adventure and creativity of probing, understanding and, ultimately, controlling the nanoworld. This project will create an exhibition and public dialogue events that will introduce some of the most interesting and important concepts that drive the nanoworld to the public in a highly accessible and attractive way.

The project is concerned with the development and delivery of a Meet the Scientist event at the Museum of Science and Industry, Manchester. The focus of the event will be Energy Materials, i.e. the critical role developments in mew materials have in delivering a sustainable energy future. More specifically the role hydrogen could play in a future energy scenario will be presented with discussion of future hydrogen generation (using renewable energy, nuclear), hydrogen storage (both in mobile applications and stationary applications) and conversion to electricity using fuel cells. The event will be centred around the development of a number of interactive demonstration facilities to demonstrate all three facets of a hydrogen economy (generation, storage and conversion). An electrolysis facility will be developed to demonstrate efficiency of the process as a function of eg. temperature and electrode materials. Demonstration facilities associated with the solid state storage of hydrogen through visual changes to materials observed in the absorption and desorption of hydrogen will be developed. Finally, standard, fuel cell components will be used to demonstrate conversion back to electricity. A theme to the event will be that scientists need to develop new and improved materials in order facilitate technological breakthroughs in all three areas. The event will be developed around these demonstration facilities , in collaboration with the museum, to be accessible to a general family audience.The demonstration facilities will also be designed in such a way that they can be used in science busking and school visits by museum education staff. The possibility of finally incorporating the demonstration facilities into a permanent display at the museum will be investigated.

The Dalton Nuclear Institute at The University of Manchester is committed to undertaking research into nuclear technologies, training new graduate students as well as an engaging public outreach Programme. With the closure of the majority of Nuclear Power Plant Visitor Centres, there are now very few resources available to educate the public. The Nuclear Energy Exhibition at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) is badly out of date, being established soon after Chernobyl. Consequently, we wanted to identify a successful model for public engagement that could help to communicate important nuclear issues and that might lead to a revamp of the Nuclear Energy Exhibition at the museum involving both real and virtual interactives.Building on the success of the 'So you think you can build a jet engine' public engagement programme the new proposal aims to identify best practices that have already been successfully trialled and apply them to educating young audiences and families about nuclear energy. Through a combination of a 3D visualisation model, complimentary 2D models, a physical model and other learning tools young audiences will be engaged and educated about the various challenges involved with the UK civil nuclear programme.Partnering with the Manchester Museum of Science (MOSI) and Industry will enable the project to benefit from their expertise and the exhibition space that is devoted to nuclear energy in the museum. Partnering with STEMPOINT Greater Manchester will enable the project to benefit from their existing networks of schools in the Greater Manchester area. They will also provide the initial training for our students and staff to become registered STEM Ambassadors.The project will develop a toolkit of resources specifically aimed at our target audiences - families with children between the ages of eight and fourteen and KS3/KS4 pupils and teachers. The emphasis is very much on engagement via hands-on, challenging, interactive exhibits, whether used in the Museum or face to face. This is in line with market research carried out by the Museum highlighting the need to provide an appropriate range of interactive exhibits to reinforce hard science . The project will develop presentations, discussion topics, simulations, spreadsheets, video clips and interactive tests challenging our audience to consider nuclear energy within the context of other sources of energy. Much of it will be closely related to research currently being undertaken within the Dalton Nuclear Institute, for example on waste storage, maximising fuel utilisation and decommissioning.