MicroscopyEducation


challenges, (b) correlative and multidisciplinary research, and (c) microscopy datasets coming to life. To make these themes come alive, we worked with indus-


try suppliers who generously donated their instruments for the four-day program. Tese included a range of stereo and com- pound microscopes and four scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) for the students’ hands-on work, a digital microscope, a virtual reality system, and a number of 3D printing machines.


Lesson Plans In situations where students only have an hour to experience


technology they may never have dealt with before, we felt it was crucial that they were introduced to these themes, their wider context, and the theory and practice of microscopy before they arrived at the Outreach Learning Space. Equally, it was impor- tant to our committee that classes were provided with follow-up work that would continue to challenge students to grapple with the themes and samples they would observe. We engaged the Australian Science Teacher’s Association (ASTA) in producing a set of lesson plans that would complement activities that students undertook on-site. Our committee settled on four major topics of investigation. Tese topics, known as the “Storylines,” were:


– Unique Australian Flora: Oil glands are a special feature of Eucalyptus leaves, but why are they there? And how does the leaf structure accommodate them? Microscopy can show you these structures in a new light. Inspired by the work of Prof. Margaret Barbour [2] from the University of Sydney.


– Corals in Competition; Te International Year of the Reef: How are corals even possible? It’s thanks to many tiny species living together in a symbiotic relationship. But life is crowded on the reef, and only the most robust survive. See how the structures of stony and soſt polyp corals help them take advantage of the reef environment and how bleach- ing of the reef leads to new competition and challenges. Inspired by work from the Future Reefs [3] collaborative research center at the University of Technology, Sydney.


– Clean Your Teeth: Your body puts a lot of work into generat- ing 32 hard, rigid teeth to tear and crush your next meal. Yet both organic and metallic contaminants can slowly under- mine their tough enamel barrier. Take an atomic-resolution look at this amazing composite structure, its strength, and its weaknesses. Inspired by tooth enamel research [4] at the Australian Centre for Microscopy and Microanalysis [5] at the University of Sydney.


– Titanic Rusticles: Te wrecks of the HMAS Sydney and the RMS Titanic are disappearing. Complex structures, known as rusticles, cover their surface, slowly feeding off iron supplied by the steel cladding. Researchers have noticed that rusticles are colonized by a range of bacteria, surviving at pressures 400 times greater than on land. By looking at the growth and structure of rusticles at the microscale, you can be helping researchers at the Maritime Museum predict how quickly underwater support structures might degrade so engineers can take preventative action. Inspired by work at the Austra- lian Maritime Museum and the Microbiologically Induced Corrosion (MIC) [6] research team at Curtin University.


Tese samples were intended to represent a cross section of complex materials, both organic and inorganic. While larger


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organic samples are oſten used exclusively in outreach situa- tions, our committee wanted to make the full scope of micros- copy research accessible to visiting classes. Each sample was drawn from actual research projects either currently underway or recently completed around Australia.


Implementation A panel of outstanding science teachers from across Austra-


lia volunteered their time to develop a set of pre-work, on-the-day, and post-work activity sheets that explored each of these issues and introduced students to concepts in light, electron, X-ray, and atom probe microscopy (depending on level of education). Each visiting class was broken up into four groups specializing in one of the major themes introduced in their pre-work. Aſter visiting the outreach space, students were able to share what they learned about their individual topics. It was intended that this format would promote greater discussion and critical thinking. Te physical outreach space was designed specifically to


accommodate the Storyline framework and the themes flagged in the students’ pre-work activities. Although segregated from the main conference thoroughfares, the space was nevertheless centrally located within the convention center, directly out- side one of the main entrances to the plenary auditorium. Tis allowed for delegates to share in the experience casually, while helping students to feel that they were intimately involved in the events of the conference. For a typical hour-long session, visiting classes were wel-


comed by ICC and conference staff and guided through an art exhibition that presented a series of indigenous artworks inspired by light and electron micrographs (for more informa- tion, see “Stories and Structures” [7]). Tey were then led into an introductory exhibition room where students were officially welcomed to the program and introduced to the instruments they would be using. It was seen as crucial that students had some guided practice on the instruments before going on to complete their activities. Te room showcased stereo and compound light microscopes (Figure 2), a rotating digital light microscope, a freely available online SEM simulator [8] from the national research facility Microscopy Australia [9], a micrograph display showing individual atoms of gallium nitride imaged with an aberration-corrected transmission electron microscope (TEM), and a video display demonstrat- ing how virtual reality can give a new perspective on 3D data. Te online simulator was especially useful in getting each class up to speed with how to operate an SEM instrument. Most students (and teachers) were impressed with the micrograph display showing images of individual atoms. Inevitably, the question arose as to whether we can image subatomic particles. Te introduction room gave a brief opportunity to show both students and teachers what is possible with digital connectivity and microscope imaging. As each student operated a micro- scope, other students were able to view the live imaging on their mobile devices via an app available from the microscope supplier and then capture an image to keep. Te layout of the larger learning space was geared toward


the Storyline arrangement. Each Storyline was allocated a sep- arate bay, which contained two compound light microscopes, two stereo microscopes, one SEM, and one additional moni- tor displaying a 3D dataset (Figure 3). Aſter their 15-minute


www.microscopy-today.com • 2019 March


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