In the current issue of Polar Research, APECS Research Activities Co-chair Inga May and others present the results of an initiative originating from the APECS workshop in Victoria, BC, in 2009 in which they tackling the making of science animations for effective science communication.
May et al. report how they developed the skills to produce useful animations about their research using various software packages, and discuss technical challenges the authors faced such as file format and sharing and image composition and colouring. By cooperating with teachers, they ensured that the animations were suitable for use in classrooms and addressed the needs of students. The animations were presented at the IPY Oslo Science Conference in 2010 and welcomed with enthusiasm by teachers and scientists. May et al. demonstrated how scientists can with relatively litte effort produce an interesting and effective animation showcasing their research and thus making it accessible to a wide audience. We are looking forward to hear more about further developments in this exciting science communication and outreach project!
The paper can be downloaded here: http://www.polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/15315
I. May, Carlson, D., Ardyna, M., Geoffroy, M., Heikkilä, M (2011): Making science animations: new possibilities for making science accessible to the public. Polar Research, 30, 15315, doi:10.3402/polar.v30i0.15315.
