Communicating Science Module 3 – Visualizing your science

A multi-disciplinary course for PhD-students, researchers, open for all.

The course is aimed at PhD students and researchers, but is open for others. In other words, master/bachelor students are welcome to apply too (they will not be able to get credits, but we will provide with a course certificate). If you aim to include the credits from the course in your 30 mandatory PhD ECTS you should discuss it with both your supervisor and your faculty.

The theme of the course autumn 2014 is: Popularizing science through video games

Video games are played because they are entertaining and thus constitute a very interesting way of communicating science. The potential of video games as a means of popularizing science lies in their capacity to transmit knowledge of complex systems through experimentation and experience. The unique quality of video games is that the content does not need to be explained, but rather the player can be expected to assume the theoretical content implicitly, via experimentation and experience within the context of the simulation.

Maximum 20 participants.

This course aims to introduce the participants to how a video game is made, focusing on the creative process from idea to product. As most participants probably will have limited to no programming experience, the end result will not be a functioning computer game, but a ¿design document¿

Learning Outcomes:

The participants will learn basic principles of computer game design, flex their creative muscles and see their research projects in a simplified and new light.

Skills learned:

- Basic principles of computer game design

- Introduction to computer game development processes

- Communicate science in a new way.

- Convert science into game development

If you pass the examination in this course, you will get an reduction in credits (as stated below), if you previously have passed the following courses:

• BIO-8008 Communicating Science Module 3 – Visualizing your science 1 stp

This is an intensive course, with lectures and workshops by experienced and successful entrepreneurs and computer game designers.

Prior to course start, the participants must deliver a short abstract describing their idea for a computer game based on their research project.

The course will run in week 46 (November 10-14)

Language of instruction and examination