The 2022 Europlanet Award for Public Engagement was awarded to lecturer Dr. Kosmas Gazeas of the University of Athens and his student staff who created the original interactive mobile tactile astronomical exhibition “The Planets in Your Hand”.

The €1,500 prize was awarded at the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) 2022 in Granada, Spain, and was received by Greek team representative Dimitris Athanasopoulos.

The exhibition allows viewers of all ages, especially the visually impaired, to “touch” the planets of our solar system through the creation of special models of planetary surfaces, placed in square tabletop frames, which convey a “first-hand” impression of the main ecological properties and characteristics of the planets.

These are specially designed exhibits that simulate the different conditions that prevail on each planet in the solar system. Thus, all visitors, even people with special needs, are given the opportunity to see, learn and feel the features of each planet. The exhibition has already traveled to schools, universities, organizations and other institutions and has been viewed by thousands of people to date.

Dr. Federica Diras of Europlanet stated at the award ceremony that “imagination and creativity have resulted in an impressive and original exhibition by a passionate and dedicated team. Providing the opportunity to “touch space” with your own hands is one of the most effective ways to make science and astronomy accessible and inclusive.”

The scientific director of Planet in Your Hands is Kosmas Gazeas, lecturer in observational astrophysics at EKPA. His team consisted of undergraduate and graduate students from the Faculty of Physics at the National and Kapodistrian University in Athens. This group, founded in 2017, has been one of the most active science communication groups in EKPA.

Europlanet is the European planetary science network of research centres, universities and companies involved in planetary research in Europe. Among other things, it funds proposals aimed at engaging the public in planetary science.

^{Source: RES-IPE}