Blast off for a celebration of science that's going into hyperdrive this year with STEM fun for all across Cork! From rocket launches, to DNA, lego robotics and dry ice experiments getting up close with science has never been cooler!
Lab coats at the ready! Cork Science Festival is blasting into to venues and schools around Cork from the 13th to 20th November this year. Organised by real life researchers, science educators and industry experts the festival aims to increase engagement and interest in science subjects from a young age with an extra focus this year on hands on learning. Come along, enjoy it and be amazed!
Cork Science Festival is a main partner of Science Week Ireland and is one of the largest STEAM engagement events in the Irish science calendar, showcasing the best Cork has to offer across science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.
The programme will feature a packed calendar of free public events, which for the first time in years can be delivered fully live and in-person! There will be expert talks, industry open days, lab visits, workshops, shows and a school's programme.
This year's programme is jampacked with free public engagement events, behind the scenes science tours, action packed science shows, lab visits, at home activities, cool hands-on workshops, and fascinating expert talks taking place in venues and schools throughout Cork - all of which can be delivered in person for the first time in years. Centres of science including UCC, MTU, and Tyndall will also open their doors to the public to showcase their scientific endeavours!
One of the big highlights every year are the live family science shows, which will take place this year as part of the 'Celebrate Science' family fun day on Sunday 13th November at the Western Gateway Building in UCC. Taking place throughout the day will be the Fun-believable Science Show. Laugh and learn as Doctor Brain shows young audience members juggling and circus tricks, explains how they are done, and then brings the students up to try out the science. Two fascinating sessions facilitated by Learn it, Irelands LEGO Education Partner will give families the opportunity to build and program a Lego Robot during WeDo 2.0 Junior LEGO Robotics while a session called Machines and Mechanisms will use LEGO education resources to predict, estimate, observe, measure, and record investigations. Fantastic DNA Young people (recommend for 8 -10-year-olds) and their family members are introduced to the exciting world of living things, cells and DNA, through an interactive hands-on workshop. Full details of all sessions, times and locations can be found on corksciencefestival.ie/public
And new for this year is something really cool, sub-zero by about -78? in fact! As part of the Celebrate Science Family Fun Day there will be a dry ice lab showcasing fun interactive dry ice experiments.
A major focus for Cork Science Festival in 2022 is the extensive school engagement programme which is rolled out annually at primary and post-primary schools around the city and county. In school visits will include interactive sessions including the Animal Roadshow and Dinosaurs Down Under. Animal Roadshow takes place within the classroom and will introduce children to creatures such as snakes, lizards, owls and more while discovering cool facts along the way, Dinosaurs Down Under is presented by knowledgeable guide Dale Treadwell as he leads you on an interactive journey with Dinosaurs! There will be plenty of chances to get up close with science through in school workshops. Wonderstruck will show 3rd to 6th class students how to make Compressed Air Rockets or Fan Powered Cars. Another workshop titled 'Up, Up and Away' will use the mechanism of kite making to explore the science of flight, gravity, weight, balance and forces in a fun and exciting manner with each child being able to design their own individual kite which they get to take home. There is science learning and fun for younger students too as Senior Infants, 1st and 2nd classes will enjoy a Junior Science Workshop given by the Lismore Heritage Centre mobile science team!
The popular Lifetime Lab Primary Science Quiz is also set to return as part of Cork Science Festival and Science Week Ireland. The closing dates for schools to enter is Friday 21st October and the quiz itself will take place at Devere Hall in UCC on the 16th of November.
Ensuring everyone gets a chance to get involved, families can also sign up to participate in at home science activities from the APC Microbiome Institute. During this remote activity, you'll create a paper Microbe-Teller, like a paper fortune-teller, a Microbe Teller reveals answers to your questions about bacteria, fungi and viruses. What do microbes look like? Where do they live? How small are they? Download and print your Origami Microbes Make a Microbe Teller at home to find out the answers. Another project to get stuck into from the comfort of home is the Micro Museum online project which guides you on how to dive deep into the world around you and build your very own museum exhibit using stuff you have at home. You'll then be able to share your project to the Micro DIY online gallery!
Heralding a thrilling Festival for 2022 programme co-ordinator Mervyn Horgan said: "Cork Science Festival looking forward to bringing the wonder of discovery, exploration, and invention to the fore during Cork Science Week. We know it just takes one spark to ignite curiosity and creativity in the STEAM subjects so that is our goal again this year! We hope to inspire future astronauts, astrologers, chemists, physicists, biologists, engineers, and researchers! Through our diverse programme we invite everyone, young and old to come and experience science."
Cork Science Festival is supported by Science Foundation Ireland and is part of Science Week Ireland. All events must be booked in advance as spaces are limited. For full details on the festival and bookings for free public events see www.corksciencefestival.ie. Additional events are being added to the calendar over coming days and the option to make a booking will follow.
