Visit The Cyprus Institute researchers and learn about their fascinating projects!
Members: Ferenc Pittler, Andreas Athenodorou, Gabrielle Pierini & other CaSToRC members
We are targeting Childrens with age 8+. In the project we illustrate complicated formation of proton from elementary building blocks quarks in a way accessible to children as well. We use the rules of color mixing and the addition of rational numbers.
Members: Corey McClintock, Jonilda Kushta, Demetris Demetriou, Marios Christoforides, Angelos Violaris
Where do different pollutants and greenhouse gases come from? Emissions are constantly produced by all of our activities¬; from the cars we drive, to the crops we grow and the livestock we raise. In order to model and interpret emissions for the purposes of understanding our atmosphere in both the short and the long term, scientists must first determine the type and size of emissions from different sources. Visitors can use various colourful threads to help construct a 3-D Emission Web that traces pollutants back to their various sources. This activity will help visitors visualize the inventories atmospheric scientists use daily to inform us about our weather, climate, and health.
Team: Rahaf Orabi, Nicolette Vollero Levy, Mehmetcan Soyluoglu,Valentina Vassallo
Τhe booth will include activities from two of the Andreas Pittas Art Characterization Laboratories (APAC Labs) of the Science and Technology Research Center (STARC) of Τhe Cyprus Institute.
The first educational activity is organised by the 3D documentation laboratory and will present to the public the project of the virtual reconstruction of the Kouros of Palaikastro. It is a gold and ivory statue found by archaeologists smashed into several pieces due to some destructive actions that happened in antiquity and that the restorers could not reconstruct in its entirety. The activity aims to introduce the public to the possibilities provided by digital technology for the virtual refitting and reconstruction of fragmented artefacts and how technology can help in solving archaeological unsolved problems.
3D prints of all the fragments of the statue will allow the visitors to have a “hands-on” experience and the possibility to test the reconstructive process as well as to propose re-assemblage ideas of the statue’s pieces. For the younger visitors, colouring sheets of the Kouros of Palaikastro will be provided so they can complete the missing parts of the statue and imagine how it would have looked in antiquity. The booth will also include a screen that will show videos of the discovery of the statue and the virtual refitting process carried out by the APAC Labs team.
The second activity will present the work of the Cyprus Dendrochronology Lab of the APAC Labs. The suggested activity is called ”Science of Forest” and is an educational tool designed to teach children of all ages about the scientific method of analysing tree rings, also known as dendrochronology. The main teaching method involves using a portable digital microscope to examine wood samples taken from the peaks of the Troodos Mountains. With this activity, children will be able to observe the wood cells using a microscope and explore the native tree species of Cyprus from different perspectives.
The chosen wood sample used for this activity has fire scars, which will be shared with students to raise awareness about historical forest fires. This will help them understand how scientific research and perspectives can reveal significant natural events and their relevance to the environmental challenges we face today.
Overall, this activity is aiming to engage children in science and inspire them to appreciate the natural world around them by using CyI facilities and perspective.
Team: Efthymia Nikita, Evi Margaritis, Panagiotis Koullouros, Georgia Kasapidou, Kyriaki Tsirtsi, Simeon Gkinoudis, Anna Karligkioti, Gkampriella Selempa, Antonio Caruso, Anna Spyrou, Angelos Hadjikoumis
Bioarchaeology examines organic remains, i.e. seeds, human and animal bones, from archaeological excavations. These remains could be said to be ‘unsung heroes’ because they give us unique information about the lives of our ancestors, but they often go unnoticed in excavations, even in museums, where the emphasis is usually on material culture. But how can seeds and bones help us better understand our history?
Guided by Archaeologists-Researchers from the Cyprus Institute, we will explore how ancient seeds and animal bones can shed light on diet, environment and economy in the ancient eastern Mediterranean, from prehistory to recent times. We will also see how the human bones we find in an excavation can shed light on how our ancestors lived: What age could they have reached? What diseases did they suffer from? How difficult were their daily tasks? The present action takes us on a journey to the roots of the Mediterranean populations, from the Neolithic period to the present day. Therefore, we invite elementary school students for a trip to the past with our guides, the ‘unsung heroes’ of the excavation.
Member: Adriana Bruggeman, Elias Giannakis, Hakan Djuma, Ioannis Sofokleous, Niovi Christodoulou, Achileas Mina, Christos Zoumides
Water is an essential element for the existence of human life, vegetation and ecosystems, and largely determines land use management. The activity focuses on interactive methods, where visitors can have a hands-one experience on how land use choices affect the ecosystem, and specifically water resources and soil.
The Municipality of Strovolos also has an important contribution to this Project, since this Project includes synergies with the existing plans to upgrade the Linear Park of Pedieos River within the framework of the Integrated Spatial Development Strategy financed through the THALEIA 2021-2027 tool.
Project’s Principal Investigator:
Georgios Artopoulos / g.artopoulos@cyi.ac.cy / +357 22 208619
Members:
Constantinos Kritiotis / c.kritiotis@cyi.ac.cy / +357 22 397 596
Charalampos Spanos / c.spanos@cyi.ac.cy / +357 22 208 749
Project’s Principal Investigator: Naveen Subramanian
Members: Kathy Christoforou, Andreas Demou, Andreas Athenodorou, Panagiotis Ilia, Malak Barakat, Panayiotis Yiannis Vrionis, Alexis Provatas, Sisem Ektirici, Paulo Vitor Itaborai de Barros, Spyridon Kallivokas, Stella Manoli
Designing new materials! Understanding how fluids flow! Teaching computers how to learn! Learning about quantum computing!
What do all of these mean and what do they have in common? Come on a journey with us as we show you how computational modelling can be used to gain insights into all of these fields of research; to better understand the world around us; to learn about quantum computing by playing sounds in a hands-on demonstration; to solve real world problems!
Project’s Principal Investigator: Christodoulos Stylianou / c.stylianou@cyi.ac.cy / +35795595909
Members: Giorgos Kosta, Minas Trattou, Stefanos Ioannou, Leonidas Christodoulou
Zephyr is a miniature supercomputer designed to make the complex world of supercomputing accessible and engaging for young learners. Made from 18 Raspberry Pi computers, it showcases the power of collaboration in computing through interactive games and visual indicators. At our science fair, children can explore real-world problem-solving through hands-on activities, demonstrating the immense potential of teamwork in technology. Zephyr brings the concept of supercomputing to life, offering a unique educational experience that inspires curiosity and innovation.
What is Zephyr?
Imagine a supercomputer so big it fills up an entire room with its many parts! That’s what Cyclone is. But, it’s too big to bring to our science fair. So, we have something special called Zephyr – a mini supercomputer that’s just as cool but small enough to fit in a suitcase!
How Zephyr Works:
Zephyr is like a tiny supercomputer family, made of 18 little computers called Raspberry Pis. These Pis can talk to each other and work together to solve big problems, just like the giant supercomputers do!
- Tiny but Mighty: Each Raspberry Pi is super tiny, not much bigger than a deck of cards, but they can do a lot! They have brains (CPUs) that can do four things at once.
- Seeing the Action: Zephyr uses colourful lights to show what it’s doing – like thinking hard or keeping cool.
- Talking to Each Other: The Raspberry Pis pass secret messages through cables to share what they know, just like passing notes in class!
- Power Up: It needs more juice (power) than a laptop, but don’t worry, it has its own magic power box to keep it running.
Inside Zephyr:
We’ve put Zephyr in a see-through case, so you can see everything happening inside. It’s like looking into a bee hive and seeing all the bees working together!
Games on Zephyr:
Zephyr isn’t just for show; it has cool games that let you solve real-world puzzles!
- Design an Aerofoil: Become an airplane designer! Use sliders to change your airplane wing’s shape and see if it can fly high without using too much fuel.
- Coastal Defenses: Play the role of a hero saving a town from big waves! Decide where to put sea walls to keep the town safe without breaking the bank.
Why Zephyr is Awesome for Science:
Zephyr shows us how supercomputers help scientists solve big problems, from making airplanes fly better to keeping our coasts safe. And it does all this in a way that’s fun and easy to understand!
Come join us at the science fair to explore the tiny yet mighty world of Zephyr. You’ll see how even the smallest computers can solve huge problems when they work together!