SAN DIEGO — A San Diego woman is paving the way for girls to pursue science and technology with an innovative new video game.
Dr. Beata Mierzwa, a postdoctoral researcher in molecular biology at UC San Diego from Pacific Beach created the game Microscopya, a game that explores the inside of cells. The game took about two years to create along with her partner Matthew Cooney.
"We want to share the beauty of the work inside the cell," Mierzwa said. "Often when you look at textbooks … it all seems very complex and everything is very isolated and simplified. But when I started studying molecular biology and I started doing microscopy, I realized how amazing and beautiful the world is inside"
According to the developers, Microscopya took about two years to develop. The game uses hand-drawn illustrations and puzzles based on different scientific topics to discover the inside of cells.
The game is described as a science-themed adventure where players can customize their character, solve puzzles and learn about biology.
The video game was created to educate and also inspire young girls.
"This project aims to reach and inspire creative students who fall outside the scientific stereotype and to empower girls to see themselves as scientists," according to creators for the game.
The game is available online and on Apple and Android devices.
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