IMAGINARY collects open mathematics exhibits

As part of the MPE2013 (Mathematics of Planet Earth 2013) initiative, over 130 academic institutions and other societies have joined together to launch the IMAGINARY platform for interactive mathematics. The project is supported by UNESCO and was developed by the Mathematisches Forschungsinstitut Oberwolfach in Germany, with funding from the Klaus Tschira Foundation. Schools, museums and other interested parties can use IMAGINARY to gain access to mathematics related exhibits and can also provide their own content, including software, under an open licence; the project's FAQ recommends licences from the Creative Commons suite.

According to the organisers of the project, the platform aims to create a collaborative, global and open communication environment which is closely tied to state-of-the-art scientific results in the field of mathematics. The exhibition content is made out of interactive programs and picture galleries and the organisers are actively looking for contributors from the mathematics community. According to the web site's about page, "the core idea is that exhibits are created within the community and exhibitions are organized independently." Aside from the Klaus Tschira Foundation and a number of other academic institutions, the project is also sponsored by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research and 3wVentures.

(fab)