As part of the Irresistible project, 5 interactive exhibitions, composed of the exhibits constructed by 8th-10th grade students, were created. The exhibitions were presented in schools in Krakow, Czernichów and Ostrowiec Świętokrzyski. The exhibitions concerned the issues related to the cutting edge research as well as to process of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). The exhibitions invited the audience to a journey through the nano-world.
Although each of the exhibitions was different, they had one item in common. It was the interactive scale of sizes on which various objects that differed in size were to be placed. However, the exhibit was built in a different way at each exhibition and it used different objects.
The most important were the exhibits referring to the principles of RRI. The most interesting realization included: the wheel of fortune, which allowed viewers to express their opinion on various dimensions of RRI; a table hockey game, in which, after scoring a goal, it was necessary to discuss various problems associated with RRI; or a twister game, in which participants had to find links between the RRI dimensions and issues related to nanotechnology applications. In all exhibitions, the visitors could discuss what attributes a good scientist should have. The exhibitions were often complemented by posters presenting the examples of controversial scientific issues, such as e.g. the use of asbestos and DDT.
Another important group of exhibits was formed by the objects related to the topic of the teaching module implemented in Krakow. The exhibitions’ audience could see how a car catalyst is built and learn how a catalytic sieve works. Other exhibits allowed the viewers to learn the structure of carbon nanostructures. The visitors to the exhibitions could also test their knowledge on nanotechnology playing nano-dominoes or a board-game on a three-dimensional nanotube model. Some exhibits refereed to the experiments performed during workshops, for example models of magnetic and atomic force microscope (MFM & AFM).
Working on the exhibits, the students had an opportunity not only to get acquainted with the issues relating to contemporary science and various aspects of RRI, but also to train their skills of working in a group or self-planning of their work, which are rarely trained in the Polish educational system.