WESPA, a multilingual European Project for teaching Energy and Semiconductors concepts using interactive approaches

Energy and electronics are subjects of great interest and importance also to the general public. The European project "A Web portal for Energy and Semiconductors Public Awareness" (W.E.S.P.A. - http://informando.infm.it/wespa) uses multimedia applications to take visitors on virtual self-guided journeys into the world of energy scenarios and semiconductor technology. Information is accessible, rigorous and presented in an engaging and pleasant environment to support debates and discussions. Two topics of special interest are: energy, both in terms of current needs and sustainable future supply in the light of environment issues; and electronics - a subject that has dramatically changed our lives at home, at work and at entertainment. The web portal has been developed, as part of European Science and Technology Week 2004, to provide interested citizens with an easy access to information on these subjects. Here we present a summary report of the results returned from a wide trial, as part of a dissemination process.