Nanoscience in comics
Through the nanoKOMIK project, the research centres CIC nanoGUNE and the Donostia International Physics Center (DIPC), specialists in nanoscience and materials science, are proposing that the first participatory nanofiction comic in 2016 be created, produced and disseminated.
The project is seeking to transmit to the general public the potential of the advances that are taking place in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology and to stimulate creativity among young people. So it is involving youngsters of between 12 and 18 years of age in a free creative process in which they will be building their own superheroine or superhero in the comic, giving him/her nanopowers through the amazing properties that matter acquires on a nanometric scale. The most original ideas will be recreated in a professional comic that will be disseminated among the general public through the publishing of it and through a travelling exhibition. The nanoKOMIK will be produced in four languages –Basque, Spanish, French and English– and will be open to all nationalities involving youngsters, in particular, across the Basque Country and the region of Aquitaine.
The nanoKOMIK challenge
The challenge is to create a character that uses “nanopowers”, in other words, sophisticated skills or capabilities acquired thanks to nanoscience and nanotechnology, and to tell his/her story through the comic. So at www.nanokomik.com the youngsters will be able to avail themselves of all the information about different “nanopowers”, plus a basic handbook on how to create an internet comic. The period for submitting the works will be from 1 February to 30 April.
In order to get warmed up and to guide the youngsters through the production of the comic, open science and comic workshops have been organised in various cities over the coming months: 30 January in Bilbao, 6 February in Donostia-San Sebastian, 20 February in Vitoria-Gasteiz, 27 February in Iruñea-Pamplona, and in March in Labourd-Lapurdi and Bordeaux as well. During these two-hour sessions the participants will be learning to produce their own comic and will be able to enter it for the challenge. The enrolment for the challenge and the workshops is now open and can be accessed via the website www.nanokomik.com. The youngsters will also be able to have contact with the project through their classrooms as a specialised science and comic workshop will be run for teachers.