What is Monash Sensory Science?

In 2017, Professor Jamie Rossjohn developed scientific outreach activities that embrace those in the community that are disadvantaged; namely he engaged the National Disability Network/Job Access/Vision Australia to employ people in his laboratory with disabilities. Within this initiative, Jamie has employed a project officer/artist in residence, Erica Tandori.

Erica is a legally blind artist, researcher and academic, exploring the intersection between art, vision loss and science.  She was diagnosed with a form of juvenile macular dystrophy at the age of 23, while in her first year of art school. Erica’s PhD focused on capturing the entoptic effects of macular dystrophy through art, conveying an ‘eye-witness’ account of blindness.

As artist in residence, she is generating tactile displays and multi-sensory, multimodal artworks that makes science including Jamie’s research accessible to the low vision and blind community.  Jamie and Erica have hosted a number of Sensory Science exhibitions nationally covering the fields of immunity, vision and cancer.

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

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.

Monash Sensory Science Events

Monash Sensory Science Exhibition on Autoimmunity

Friday June 30th, 2023

Discover the science of autoimmunity from leading scientists through accessible multi-sensory, multi-modal artworks and exhibits, including displays by the MonashAssistive Technologies and Society.

From handcrafted immune cells made of clay, food, paper, fabrics to technologies and interactive displays exploring autoimmune processes, you will learn about the ways in which the body mistakenly attacks its own organs and tissues, resulting in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis and celiac disease.

Prepare for an enhanced experience with interactive multi-sensory science books and captivating autoimmunity data sonifications, where data is turned into a musical language.

This event is free and open to all.

Couldn’t make it to this event?

As part of National Science week (August 12 -20), we have a further two exhibitions

1) Macquarie University in partnership with NextSense – register here.

2) Statewide Vision Resource Centre – register here.

Visit our dedicated National Science week event page.

‘My Goodness’ Interactive Multisensory Science books

August, 2021
View the event

AI for Good Global Summit 2020

July, 2020
View the event

‘Possible Impossibles’- National Science Week

August, 2020
View the event

Second Sensory Scientific Exhibition and Discovery Day 

December, 2019

Sensory Scientific Exhibition and Discovery Day 

May, 2018

Extrasensory, National Science Week

August, 2019

Sensory Science – An LEI Exhibition to Stimulate the Senses

October, 2019

Activities

HIV Capsid couscous Project

This is a 3D model making workshop with our artist in residence, Erica. The workshop explores how to build a high resolution model of the HIV Capsid molecule without a 3D printer, just using chicken wire and couscous.

Instructions to make your own tactile HIV capsid (document file)

HIV Capsid template

Multi-sensory ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) – Presented in ASMR for audiences with low vision and blindness (audio file)

View activity

HIV Capsid data projection Project

This HIV Capsid data projection project brings multi-sensory science to a whole new level. Here our artist in residence, Erica has collaborated with Dr Stuart Favilla from the School of Design at Swinburne University to create a video of viral mutation projections dancing on the surface of a giant HIV capsid sculpture.

The sculpture stands at approximately 1.6 metres high and 1.5 metres at its widest point, big enough for a teenager and a cat to climb inside!  Created with cardboard hexagonal shapes and smothered in millions of tiny foam balls, the life size HIV Capsid sculpture becomes a three-dimensional projection screen displaying computerised viral mutating lifeforms.
Watching the HIV Capsid dance in time to the music brings with it the effect of ‘cortical completion’, where the data movements seemingly dance in time to the driving beat. In rhythmical syncopation, music becomes the dominant sensory channel. During those moments and gestures, identifiable features in sound become ‘attention grabbing’ and the mesmerising (confusing and unidentifiable) visuals then suddenly synchronise and take form in the brain, creating a whole new sensory realm of visual and aural perceptions.

View activity