Visualizing the Unseen … from Kaon Decay to Global Warming

And other projects of The King’s Centre for Visualization in Science

The King’s Centre for Visualization in Science (KCVS)

• What do you get if you add– 6 bright & eager students– A dash of NSERC-CRYSTAL

funding– 2 faculty members hanging on for

dear life!– Stir “gently”

KCVSKCVS

KCVS is …• A facility created at The

King’s University College dedicated to the production of scientific visualizations for both education and research

• Funded by NSERC-CRYSTAL Alberta (>90%), with smaller grants received from IUPAC and NSF

• Funded “in kind” by generous support from The King’s University College

What would happen if the Sun went out today? How long would it be before you noticed?

What would happen if could travel close to the speed of light?

How do Greenhouse Gases Heat the Atmosphere?

Visualizing Global Climate Change

• How do greenhouse gases “work”?

• What do climate models predict?

• What’s your carbon footprint Canada?

Modern Physics…• Relativity theory:

– Michelson-Morley Experiment– Simultaneity– SpaceTime Diagrams

• Historic Experiments in Physics

– Photoelectric Effect– Thomson’s Expt.– Rutherford Experiment(s)– Millikan Expt.

• Abstract Ideas in Physics– Nuclear stability/particle in a box– Cloud Chamber and

subatomic particles

Chemistry Education…

• Stereo Chemistry– 3D molecular viewer

– “Geowall” capable

• Spectroscopy– NMR

– IR

• Isotopic Ratio Analysis

KCVS and Other Projects…

• Grade Five Science (Gustafson et al)

– major project (budget coordination)

– First version >4 student-monthequivalents development time

• West Nile Virus (Wonham, McNab, Norris, deVries)

– Visualization supported by KCVS

– First draft 1.5 student-monthequivalents development time

KCVS “skill sets” …• We are developing a team of students with a

broad range of backgrounds and skills which have included:– Aeronautic and Space Engineering, Chemistry,

Environmental Studies and Computing Science

• Areas of competence include:– Programming in JAVA, VPYTHON, Actionscript,

FLASH and C++– Rendering in BRYCE, MAYA and Blender– Subject area expertise in chemistry, physics,

environmental science

KCVS Goals and Challenges …

• A major goal is the creation of a centre that can respond to visualization needs of educational researchers within the CRYSTAL programme as well as other educational arenas

• To develop the concentrated and specialized skill set necessary to produce visualizations

• Develop and maintain a stable cohort of students from one academic year to the next