Emily Ritchie, Year 4 Biomedical Sciences Tell us about your research During my research placement I worked within the ATLAS facility to determine if the accuracy of physical characteristics impacts user experience when using 3D printed bone models as a teaching aid. We created a variety of 3D printed bone models and surveyed students and teaching staff throughout the Anatomy department to come to the conclusion that where user experience is concerned, texture appears to be a very important factor. Models with a rough and more matte texture are the most popular. These models have the potential to provide a learning resource for a greater variety of people, including primary school students, public engagement and patient education. What was the highlight? This project gave me the opportunity to meet so many fantastic scientists and learn what it means to carry out my own research. With the first two years of our study being affected by covid, this research was a really useful opportunity to build my skills and experience in research. I would like to thank my supervisor Stephen Maclean and everyone in the ATLAS facility for their support and encouragement throughout my placement. I would also like to thank the BMTO for generously funding this research placement. This article was published on 2024-08-05
