Welcome to SciCentr this world is a new project for the Cornell Theory Center, the high-performance computing center at Cornell University.
I am Margaret Corbit, Science Outreach Coordinator, and this world will focus on research areas that we support. For example, Molecular Modeling and Plant Genomics.
SciCentr is a project being designed and built by undergraduates at Cornell. We are moving from the team-based development of science Web sites
into making this virtual science center. The model is half expo-half hands-on science center. The expo metaphor is loosely centered on the
1939 New York Worlds Fair when TV and Electrification were new and about to change our lives dramatically. We will try to relate this to today’s revolutions :>)
So the visitors center is a copy of the Trilon and Perisphere from 1939, which you see here at Ground Zero.
If you look to the left of the Peri, you will see the Genehouse (I like puns, so please bear with me as we look around). This is the entrance to what will be a world about plant genetics, breeding, etc.
Based on crop plants and featuring the genomics programs here at Cornell for Rice, Tomatoes, and Wheat. Students will be working with researchers directly to create the content.
As database capabilities for this environment improve, we will explore using it to visualize the genome database itself, a visual interface that can be extended by the users-annotated informally.
As we keep moving to the left, you should be able to see a model of a molecule. Let me stress that this is a scientifically correct model based on simulation and crystallography.
The large spheres are "Atoms" that users will be able to manipulate via a bot being written by feyd, Alan Turnquist, a sophomore here in world with us. Feyd, could you explain it a bit?
Beyond the molecules, you see the Giant Mutant Tomato teleport area, this area is arranged to provide teleports to topical discussions away from what we hope will be the hubbub of GZ.
If we go back to GZ, and walk out along the platform (if you haven’t already realized it, we do not use gravity in this world; experimenting :>))
The arches are the artifacts of a workshop for 7th and 8th grade girls. They learned to use the environment and build a bit in less than 2 hours.
The glass box is a teleport to a gallery of student artwork created in the fine arts department here at Cornell. Let’s go there and have a look around.
Everyone here? Good. The artwork is from a digital art program. The student who manages the gallery created our trilon. Over on the side you see a quick space I put up to introduce you to just a couple of
More ambitious art projects. Accd world is at the Art Center College for Design in Pasadena, CA. No gravity there. Very evocative spaces. SciCentr is collaborating with them on design of our wave science crystal fountain.
Mike Heim is the leader of accd world. Next is DAAP, an open air sculpture garden for digital sculpture. Virtuallia is a truly experimental space where miracles occur if you are lucky.
I was lucky. And saw an island grow and be seeded with trees based on elevation: palms by the beach, evergreens on the snowy mountain.
Ok, back to GZ. And then off to the crystal fountain to finish up.
Fly down to the arch with me and we will teleport to the crystal structure.
This structure will become the analog for the singing fountains at the 1939 Fair. These little crystals are keys. When you activate one, you will send a note to a server. The notes of many avatars playing keys will merge
Create a chord and play the chord back to everyone in the area. Sort of a pipe organ. The crystals in the middle will also change their appearance—light up.
So this project is again a programming challenge for students. We will link a mathematics software package, Matlab, to it so that the web page will present graphical representations of the sound and the region will contain content on
Fourier transforms and fundamental science. Applications will surround that.
Ok, before we leave, let me point out that these exhibits are just the beginning, core exhibits to be surrounded/linked to science fairs and labs.
Thanks.