Smell

This event kicks off with a 3D odour space experience from acclaimed scent scientist and perfumer George Dodd. He will reveal the meanings behind sense of smell, molecules, engineering, life and love… Sniff your way around George’s smell strips to discover why it is we like or dislike certain foods. Why are some women attracted to ‘dirty’ men? What exactly is smell therapy and how is it used? Uncover the mystery of musks and find out whether we really are that conscious of our reactions to smell.

George Dodd is the founding father of electronic nose technology. He established the UK’s only Smell Research Group at the University of Warwick in 1971, specialising in 'firsts' to create the world’s earliest electronic noses. He has since established an independent perfume studio, providing a bespoke perfume service. This has kept him busy creating yet more world firsts, a whisky perfume, a chocolate perfume, a medical perfume and a perfume therapy programme for use in the treatment of people with mental-health concerns.

What about detecting scent? James Covington has been developing chemical sensors over the last decade to produce finely tuned electronic noses that are used for detecting pollutants. He’ll be bringing a big model of the human olfactory system and a portable electronic Cyrano nose so you can check out the differences. Can an artificial nose ever be as sensitive and powerful as the human nostril? How does his work contribute to portable e-noses?

Dennis Doorly has a transparent 3D model nose. He’s interested in questions like, why do we need to breathe deeply to smell a flower? He’s using aeronautical engineering to find the answers and will show you how the geometry of the nose and an aircraft wing are similar. But your nostrils are more complex. Find out how Dennis’s research could help surgeons develop new ways of delivering drugs through the nose. Could his findings be the cure for runny noses?

This event is supported by The Royal Academy of Engineering.

Event organised by:
The Science Museum

Speakers

George Dodd, scientist and perfumer, AromaSciences and Amora Perfumes
James Covington, Associate Professor, Department of Electronic Engineering, University of Warwick
Dennis Doorly, Reader in fluid dynamics, Department of Aeronautics, Imperial College London

Facilitator: Susanne Buck, Educational Facilitator, MA Creative Practices for Narrative Environments, Central St Martins

Listen to an audio description [mp3] of this event.

Listen to our audio file [mp3] containing directions to the Dana Centre from Gloucester Road tube station.

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podcast

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This event is part of 5 Senses