In 2017, Professor Jamie Rossjohn developed scientific outreach activities aimed at engaging members of the community who are disadvantaged. As part of this initiative, he partnered with the National Disability Network/JobAccess/Vision Australia to employ people with disabilities within his laboratory. Through this program, Jamie employed a project officer and artist in residence, Erica Tandori, who is legally blind.  She was diagnosed with a form of juvenile macular dystrophy at the age of 23.

During her time as artist in residence, Erica generated tactile displays and multi-sensory, multimodal artworks that made science—including Jamie’s research—more accessible to the low-vision and blind community. Together, they co-created and delivered a series of Sensory Science exhibitions presented nationally, exploring themes across immunity, vision, cancer and autoimmunity.

The Monash Sensory Science team have been recognised for their contributions to Diversity and Inclusion: Winner of the Monash University 2018 Vice-Chancellor’s Diversity and Inclusion Award, Finalist of the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science Eureka Prize for STEM Inclusion 2019, 2020 Breakthrough of the Year Finalist at the Falling Walls Conference and Berlin Science Week; and recently the ‘Highly commended’ Award in the Design strategy of 2023 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards.

Read coverage of this work:

• The Age: Science relies on light. What about people who can’t see?
• The ARC: Australian Laureate Fellow launches Sensory Scientific Exhibition and Discovery day
• The BDI: Bringing the magic of biomedical research to the low vision community
• ASBMB (USA): Unravelling the mind’s eye – science through a novel lens
• Immunology & Cell biology: Access all areas: multisensory science exhibitions tailored toward blind, low-vision and diverse-needs communities
• BBC: Cambridge university sensory-science art for people with sight loss
• The Australian: Art, internships open biomedicine to visually impaired

Read publications on this work:

• • Cell: Advancing accessible science for low-vision and diverse-needs communities. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.05.020
  • Immunology & Cell Biology: Making science accessible for blind and low-vision people, and those with diverse needs. DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12760
  • Immunology & Cell Biology: Access all areas: multisensory science exhibitions tailored toward blind, low-vision and diverse-needs communities. DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12738 

We will be expanding these Sensory Science exhibitions and bringing them to schools and internationally. If you are interested in having us come to your school or assist with setting up something similar at your institute, please send us an enquiry at Contact Us.

Watch videos below of our Sensory Science exhibitions as we create multi-sensory and multimodal artworks to communicate current biomedical research to blind, low vision and diverse needs audiences.