Tipperary students take part in south east science festival

Almost5,000 people attended the south east science festival which ran from the 7 – 14 November as part of Science Week. The festival which ran mostly online had a diverse range of events for primary, secondary schools, childcare services, families and adults.

Throughout the week, schools from all across the region zoomed in on virtual events with top science presenters from around the world. There were many highlights of the week including a gorgeous show for pre-schoolers called Loving Science, an online visit to the Reptile Zoo, Galway Atlantic Aquarium and the Seal Rescue Sanctuary, a lively quiz with 6thclass pupils in the area facilitated by South African Steve Sherman and Science Story Time with one of Ireland's finest traditional storytellers Niall De Búrca.

A Joint Careers Events took place with Waterford IT and IT Carlow, as they come together to form a Technological University of the Southeast.  This event was aimed at secondary schools pupils featuring scientists from industry in the Waterford, South Tipperary and Carlow areas. Over 700 TY and senior cycle students were in attendance, where students had the chance to learn from STEM practitioners, in the region, about real world STEM careers. In addition to live events, Science Stem kits were sent out to various schools and community groups in the region.

Adults too had the opportunity to get in on the action with an information talk from Blackwater Distillery on The Science of Gin, Dr Niamh Shaw spoke of her assimilated mission to Mars and how it made her reconsider the environment, The Use Less Project gave an informative talk on Fast Fashion, consumerism and its impact on the environment, Network Ireland hosted an evening for STEM Women in Business, Sisters Judith and Susan Boyle delivered a talk on The Bitter Truth, the science of taste!

In person events included biodiversity walks in Fenor Bog, Geology Talks on the Copper Coast, and special visits to various schools and groups from Bricks 4 Kids who teach STEM in a fun and challenging way using LEGO, Technic & Robotics. Waterford IT lecturer Bruce Wardop introduced secondary school students to the Science of Extreme Sport.

Sheila Donegan, Director of Calmast, the STEM Engagement Centre in Waterford Institute of Technology who co-ordinated Science Week as part of national science said “we are absolutely thrilled with the uptake in events in the region. We had hoped this year to have more in-person events but as a result of Covid, that was not possible. However, we did find that we were able to engage with more schools and indeed the general public, than before. We are particularly proud of the new relationships built with community groups in the region for example The Brothers of Charity, Respond Housing, the ETB, NLN, Direct Provision Centres, Men’s Sheds, Meals and Wheels and Bernardos. It is so fantastic to work alongside these amazing groups who do such brilliant work. We are so thankful to our partners Waterford Area partnership, Waterford and Tipperary Library Services , our funders Science Foundation Ireland Waterford and Tipperary Councils and local industries MSD, Abbott, WEST Pharma, Sanofi, Bausch and Lomb without whom, it would be impossible to run South East Science Festival.”

The theme of this year’s festival was Creating our Future in line with a government initiative of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science which is taking place across 2021. Science Foundation Ireland are encouraging people to engage with the “Creating our Future” national conversation on research in Ireland and have their say in what are the most important aspects of their lives they would like science and research to improve. If you would like to get involved with Science Week and #CreatingOurFuture in some way – submit questions through the #CreatingOurFuture platform, in the conversation on social media. The public can submit ideas and questions that could be addressed through the online platform -www.creatingourfuture.ie.