Data StoryTelling with the Grainger Museum
For the second year in a row, Research Platform Service ran Data Storytelling events on the 3rd and 4th of July, where researchers from all disciplines got to work with new digital tools and learn to turn their research into good communication material!
This year, for our 3D workshops, we partnered with the Grainger Museum, who kindly lent us some objects from their collection.
We were lucky to dig out some treasure and touch (with gloves!) and play with some of the personal belongings of Percy Grainger! The participants were thrilled to get that opportunity and soon started to ask all kinds of questions about this particular denture cast, or an enigmatic lady’s shoe from the 19th century!
Instead of looking at photos in a book of Percy Grainger’s artefacts, people were given the chance to directly interact with the real objects. This immediately engaged people because they can get a real-life sense of what these objects feel, weigh or even smell like. It’s a very visceral experience. It triggers the curiosity and get people working together very quickly!
During our two-day workshop, our participant learnt to 3D scan objects, and generate a 3D model than they can then 3D print to have a replica or just visualize online and create beautiful online exhibition with 3D models, to share with other researchers.
These particular skills can be useful for any researcher working with object-based data sets: from zoology to art history, conservation to dentistry, archaeology, cultural collection, museum studies, pedagogy, medicine and much more.
WARNING: The following video content depicts flashing lights and may not be suitable for all viewers. Discretion is advised.
To learn more about 3D scanning workshops and other Research Platform services and events, visit the Research Bazaar blog.
- Article by Emilie Walsh, PhD student in Visual Art at the VCA and employee of Research Platform Services, University of Melbourne