Skip to content
Skip to navigation
Accessibility
Alumni
Join the team
Contact us
Apply
Donate
Search terms
Back to home
Back to news
View full sitemap
Taking a journey through the virtual universe at the University of Portsmouth
Four students paid a visit to the University of Portsmouth earlier this month to get advice on learning STEM subjects at university, when you have a visual impairment.
The visit was organised with the help of Dr Nicolas Bonne, the Public Engagement and Outreach Fellow and Tactile Universe Project Lead at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth.
Dr Nic is visually impaired and has a guide dog called Austin. He has created a tactile universe using 3D printing and showed how a black hole forms using the same technology.
The students were also introduced to a virtual reality universe which used sound technology to show where clusters of stars and galaxies are by using different pitched sounds.
Next up was an introduction to Physics from two professors, followed by a meeting with an officer from the University's Additional Support and Disability Advice Centre, who explained how students could use their DSA to support them at university.
The group also met and chatted with two visually impaired students currently studying Physics at Portsmouth to get a better understanding of what it is like.
It was a long day, but really worthwhile. The four students who went on the trip were Izzy T, who has a number of offers to study Geology, including Portsmouth; Rubin T, who has offers to study Mathematics; Orla R, who has offers to study Natural Sciences and River F who has offers to study Biomedical Science, and interviews for degree apprenticeships in a variety of scientific fields.
Many thanks to volunteer Kevin, and staff members Annie, Karen and Phil for organising and supporting the trip.
Pictured above: Staff member Phil paying a visit to the VR universe
Pictured above: Rubin learning how to use the VR equipment
Pictured above: Izzy exploring the VR universe with guide dog Judy watching on
Pictured above: Orla exploring the 3D images of black hole creation, with guide dog Bobby looking on.
Leave Feedback
Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of
website accessibility