NTAA & AMBER Centre (Trinity College Dublin) STEM Animation Commission

The National Talent Academy for Animation is delighted to announce a new paid commission! 

 

AMBER Centre (Trinity College) in partnership with the NTAA, is offering a new opportunity to create a short animation in collaboration with their researchers. 

 

Project Overview

The objective is to create an animated video that presents scientific concepts related to materials science and bioengineering research. This can build on a recent illustrated children's book Something’s Missing, which was conceived and written through a partnership between the AMBER Centre, based in Trinity College, Dublin and Fighting Words, the creative writing charity. 

The project aimed to make complex science and STEM concepts more accessible to the public through the medium of creative writing. Through a series of creative workshops, AMBER researchers from the Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine in the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, and the School of Physics in Trinity College Dublin worked with Fighting Words facilitators to write this science story for children. 

The book centres on two young rabbit princes, Joshua and Kevin, who turn to the power of regenerative medicine to defend against the invading foxes from the north. We welcome project proposals that build directly on the source material of Something’s Missing, but would also be interested in other proposals that explore the themes of research in a different direction.

 

Project Details

Individual short animation will:

- Have a budget of €8,000.

- Be approximately 60 - 90 seconds in length.

- Target a lay/public audience.

- Give audiences the opportunity to gain a better understanding of materials science and bioengineering research

- Provide a tool for scientists to engage with the public on the core concepts involved in their research and its relevance to future treatments.

- Concept will be developed in collaboration with AMBER researchers.

- Candidates can avail of NTAA mentorship in key areas.

 

Application Requirements

1. A cover letter explaining why you are the best candidate for this project.

2. A project outline.

3. CVs and showreels of core creative team/individual.

4. Proposed production budget breakdown.

5. Notes (including any producer/director notes, project vision, style, tone, etc).

 

Application Deadline: Tuesday, 18th of March at 5pm

Delivery Date: Late October 2025

 

APPLY HERE

Cover Image from 'Something's Missing', illustrated by Philip Elliott.

AMBER background:

Advanced Materials and BioEngineering Research (AMBER) Centre, hosted at Trinity College, Dublin is a multi-disciplinary, multi-university centre for worldclass materials science research. The mission of our 300+ team members is to drive excellence in materials science research for people, planet and prosperity. A fundamental aspect of AMBER’s work is our Education and Public Engagement (EPE) programme, which aims to inspire, facilitate and celebrate engagement between AMBER and the public to encourage authentic involvement in materials science and bioengineering research for societal improvement. We provide multiple inclusive pathways for the public to engage with AMBER’s research, with particular attention given to underrepresented and underserved communities. We aim to foster young people’s STEM identities, with the aim of enhancing their agency and active citizenship in a rapidly changing world.

 

Researchers background:

 

Giulio Brunetti

Dr Giulio Brunetti is a postdoctoral researcher in the Tissue Engineering Research Group (TERG) in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI), one of the largest advanced biomaterials and tissue engineering/regenerative medicine research groups in Ireland led by Prof Fergal O’Brien. Following undertaking a BSc and MSc in Chemistry at the University of Rome, La Sapienza (Italy), he moved abroad to achieve a MRes with distinction in Advance Genomic and Proteomic Science at the University of Nottingham, UK. Subsequently, he moved to Ireland in 2017, where he earned his PhD in Physics, at Trinity College Dublin, based on developing a microcantilever based biosensor for the study of label-free nanomechanical assays, targeting real time detection of specific infectious disease biomarkers (malaria and COVID-19) in a physiological environment under the tutelage of Professor Martin Hegner. Following his arrival in TERG, his research has primarily focused on the development of natural polymer scaffold-based therapeutics for tissue engineering with target clinical applications in skin and neural tissues.

Becky Hackett

Becky Hackett is the research coordinator for the Tissue Engineering Research Group (TERG) in the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI). Becky studied Science in Trinity College Dublin, specialising in immunology. Following this she undertook a Research Masters on translational neuroimmunology, focusing on potential therapeutic targets for multiple sclerosis in Trinity College Dublin. Following her MSc, Becky came to work in TERG. She spends her days working on grant writing and management, outreach and public engagement for TERG, and research development.

Jamie Somers

Jamie graduated from Dublin City University (DCU) with a B.Sc (Hons) in Applied Physics in 2023. In his third year, Jamie won a chemistry scholarship allowing him to gain international research experience at the University of Kansas, an R1 University in the United States. For his final year research project, Jamie studied ‘Simulating Laser-Induced Dynamics in Next Generation Photo-Acid Materials for Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography’ using High Performance Computing and Density Functional Theory calculations. He is now working with both the Bradley Photonics Group at TCD and the Centre for Biochemical Sensors at the Imperial College London, under the supervision of Prof. Louise Bradley and Dr. Ali K. Yetisen. The research involves using a non-linear optical process known as Two-Photon Polymerisation to print photonic structures using responsive materials.