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Every moment of every day, invisible particles from space pass silently through your body. Traveling to Earth at nearly the speed of light, cosmic rays are everywhere but detectable only through specialized tools. But now鈥攖hanks to a partnership that blends science with design鈥攖he public can see, hear, and feel the celestial phenomenon firsthand through an immersive exhibit created by interior architecture and physics students.听

The multisensory installation鈥�鈥攊s the culmination of a yearlong project led by Assistant Professor Lawrence Lee from the and Professor David Matthews from the School of Interior Architecture. Funded by a granted to Lee, the project reflects the university鈥檚 increasing emphasis on experiential learning, giving students the chance to turn classroom theory into real-world applications.听听

The project鈥檚 goal was simple: create a way for visitors to experience the ever-present cosmic rays around them. Bringing that idea to life, however, was far more complex. Raw particle data had to be translated into visual, auditory, and tactile experiences. Meeting that challenge required an interdisciplinary approach, leading to the creation of a combined studio course for advanced physics and interior architecture students. The first semester focused on developing detailed plans and creative briefs, which second-semester students used to prototype and construct the exhibit.听

鈥�Being able to see what we designed actually take a full-scale, tangible form was incredible,鈥� said senior Nicole DiLorenzo, an interior architecture major from Virginia. 鈥淚 can confidently say I learned more about design, construction, materials, and myself this semester than I have in the past four years.鈥�听

Senior Micah Hillman, a physics major from Franklin, Tennessee, saw the project as a chance to move beyond theory and work through problem solving in a collective effort.听

鈥淭he biggest surprise was that my feet usually hurt after class,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n most physics classes we tend to sit, discuss, listen, and think abstractly. Here, I was putting in many hours and pouring my efforts into thinking about real and present problems or running back and forth to get the tools to fix them.鈥�听

Construction of the exhibit was primarily done in a studio space of the Art and Architecture Building, conveniently located next to the woodshop. Students were able to come and go as needed, often coming to work on the project after hours.听听听

鈥淥ur infrastructure is what makes everything run,鈥� Matthews said. 鈥淥ur shop and technology staff were 100 percent behind us鈥攖eaching students how to cut materials, supporting dozens of prototypes, and enabling impromptu experimentation. We simply couldn鈥檛 do this without them.鈥�听

The exhibit鈥檚 exterior, known as the cloud chamber, is a partially enclosed geometric dome. Designed for audiences ranging from eight to eighty, visitors enter in small groups, surrounded by animated projections and 3D visualizations that glow and shift as the images introduce the science behind cosmic rays.听听

One at a time, participants then slip on headphones and follow a narrated sequence, moving through the program with the press of a button before resting a hand inside a specialized chamber. Detectors positioned above and below sense cosmic rays passing through the user鈥檚 hand, triggering synchronized pulses of light, subtle vibrations, and layered sound鈥攐ffering a rare moment when an invisible phenomenon can be felt, seen, and heard.听

鈥淭he project was incredibly complex,鈥� Lee said. 鈥淓verything was interconnected, and it had to be a team effort. It鈥檚 much like research; we pivot when we need to and respond to the situation. For students, this is typically the first time they鈥檙e in that environment. Many find it frustrating at the beginning, but by the end they see that this is a completely separate set of skills to learn.鈥澨�听

The hands-on nature of the course was intentional, reflecting a course built around the concept of learning by doing and responding in real time to the demands of the work as it unfolded.听

鈥淭he process was letting students learn how their hands were part of the thinking,鈥� Matthews said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very difficult to go from paper to production, and often the craft requires you to think by touch and not by sight. A lot of it is linking the intellectual aspect with traditional education and embodied learning through materiality and making.鈥�听

The philosophy of learning by doing also shaped how students were evaluated. No quizzes, tests, or term papers. Instead, students were assessed through learning portfolios and discussions that reflected their individual experiences. The focus was on contribution, growth, and how each student supported the team as a whole.听听

For Nicole, the flexible structure pushed her to think differently and rely more on her own initiative.听听听

鈥淭he little victories and successes throughout the semester were my favorite part of the experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淓very day, I found myself growing more confident in my voice and knowledge to explain what I knew based on the work I had done in the woodshop, with the materials, and through research.鈥�听

Before the traveling science exhibition heads to schools, fairs, and other venues, organizers will host a public showing this spring, giving the university a firsthand look at what students have created. While plans for the educational component of the exhibit continue to take shape, its impact is already evident for the students who brought it to life鈥攕howing how collaboration across disciplines can open entirely new dimensions of learning.听

鈥淚 had the chance to test my intuition against the real world,鈥� Hillman said. 鈥淚鈥檓 leaving the class with a deep respect for the work designers do and a set of practical skills I鈥檒l carry into whatever comes next.鈥�听