Hypatia World is the name of a 3D Virtual World supporting and expanding the reach of the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) beyond what local groups can achieve. Hypatia provides a Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) themed 3D virtual space for online activities and inter-group collaboration for existing and evolving girl-serving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs. In the future, Hypatia World will also provide new opportunities for girls who have no local group by providing access to a virtual club. Through the virtual world, NGCP members with Internet access at home or in their community can create an avatar and participate in girl-serving STEM programs that provide informal STEM learning activities and games, events, clubs and fun.

ENGAGE	Interactive exhibits, simulations, games and quests.
EXPLORE	Interactive exhibits, museums, virtual field trips.
MEET	Virtual club houses, presentations & debates.
LEARN	Games, competitions, challenges and brain teasers.
SHARE	Leaders and members of NGCP Collaboratives sharing ideas, experiences and learning.
ACT	Support causes to make the world a better place with action in local communities when logged off.
MENTOR	Women in STEM careers as an inspiration championing STEM by sharing their stories as role models, supporting, coaching and answering questions.
ACCESS	Virtual STEM careers markets and college fairs.
BUILD	Girls designing, building and sharing STEM content using industry standard tools.
DEVELOP	Scientific habits of mind.

 

Who was Hypatia: Hypatia (350 and 415 AD) was the first notable woman in mathematics, a philosopher and astronomer and the last librarian of the Library of Alexandria in Roman Egypt.

Project Status
In progress

Futher information
For more information about Hypatia– A Virtual World, contact Lindy Orwin

"Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than to not think at all." Hypatia

 

Members of collaboratives across the country can share, communicate and support each other as well as collaborate with girls who currently have no access to a local group. Many more girls can now participate remotely in this virtual world, accessing events, activities and a community of peers and mentors online.

By working with innovative organizations who already have exciting, interactive virtual world activities, exhibits and events such as NASA, the Smithsonian Institute, museums, libraries, non-profit and government agencies, Hypatia will bring the best virtual worlds has to offer to girls across the United States.

Hypatia uses 3D objects, scripting, and computer driven simulations accessed using avatars to provide opportunities for a unique hands-on, inquiry-based style of learning that is more fun and productive for discovering the scientific method and grasping basic principles and facts. Learning happens cooperatively in teams who are solving problems that are relevant to the learners. treating study like a research project.

"Life is an unfoldment, and the further we travel, the more truth we comprehend. To understand the things that are at our door is the best preparation for understanding those that lie beyond." Hypatia

Volunteers and organizations, who for various reasons may not be able to help out a collaborative in person, can participate actively in Hypatia in many ways. Contact Lindy Orwin

You or your organization could:

• Host online STEM events in the virtual world;
  
• Create new interactive 3D exhibits and activities that involve girls in action locally and globally;
  
• Share your organization’s existing 3D virtual world assets with these girls and young women by migrating a copy of them to Hypatia;
  
• Lead and participate in online activities in Hypatia;
  
• Provide leadership or support of girls as they participate online;
  
• Film virtual events to promote and share experiences through the use of machinima;
  
• Promote Hypatia to girls in your local community;
  
• Assist girls in their local area to get regular Internet access to allow them to participate in this virtual world;
  
• Provide technical support to the team managing, maintaining and growing the virtual world;
  
• Donate to the development and maintenance of the virtual world directly;
  
• Host fund raising events to help meet the costs of developing a broad range of fun, informative and creative resources in the virtual world and hosting Hypatia on computer servers.