Descrizione del progetto
Scoprire il mondo nascosto della crescita dei cristalli
I materiali cristallini sono indispensabili per la vita moderna, ma la loro origine è nota solo a pochi eletti, lasciando molti ricercatori all’oscuro della natura multidisciplinare della produzione dei cristalli. In questo contesto, il progetto HANDSOME, finanziato dal CER, intende portare l’affascinante mondo della crescita dei cristalli nei programmi educativi a vari livelli. Partendo da concetti comprensibili come il trasferimento di calore e i cambiamenti di fase, HANDSOME renderà la scienza accessibile a tutti. Attraverso l’innovativo sistema EduCrys, che simula la produzione industriale di cristalli, il progetto promette di offrire un’esperienza di apprendimento interattiva a scuole e università. Grazie all’utilizzo di hardware e software aperti, il progetto colmerà il divario tra le industrie ad alta tecnologia e le aule scolastiche.
Obiettivo
"Crystalline materials are indispensable to modern life, and the development of crystal growth processes for novel materials remains an important challenge in materials science and engineering. However, the knowledge about these processes is limited to very select, specialist communities. Researchers from different fields often use crystals just as ""products"" without being aware of the exciting multi-disciplinary background of their production processes. The HANDSOME project aims to facilitate the integration of this topic in educational curricula at various levels. We will adopt a macroscopic perspective on crystal growth, starting with heat transfer phenomena and phase changes between solid and liquid states, which can be related to many aspects of everyday life such as cooking or weather. A modular hands-on setup (EduCrys) will be developed to demonstrate the growth of tin crystals from melt using a process very similar to the industrial production of silicon crystals for microelectronics. Various sensors will be utilized to measure the temperature or power consumption. In the HANDSOME project, we envision EduCrys as a unique, innovative educational product for both schools and universities. We will follow the principles of open hardware with low-cost components and open source control software to maximize accessibility and customizability. The EduCrys setup will allow the transfer of knowledge from high-tech industries and specialized research labs to the classroom while preserving the possibility of hands-on experience and therefore increasing interactivity in science education. The HANDSOME project aims to reach a new level of awareness in the society about the challenges of modern materials science, in particular the production processes of crystalline materials, their energy-efficiency, and their environmental impact."
Campo scientifico
- social scienceseducational sciencesdidactics
- engineering and technologymaterials engineeringcrystals
- engineering and technologymechanical engineeringthermodynamic engineering
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesthermodynamics
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencescomputational sciencemultiphysics
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept GrantsIstituzione ospitante
12489 Berlin
Germania