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Science Week 2022 is starting on Sunday 13 November and running until Sunday 20 November. Here’s a round-up of some of the many events happening around the country.
You shouldn’t need an excuse to celebrate science, but if you’ve been looking for some science-themed activities to keep you stimulated then you’re in luck – it’s approaching Science Week in Ireland.
Organised by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), Science Week is an annual nationwide celebration of science that sees lots of events happening all over Ireland. They will be a mix of in-person and online experiences.
This year’s Science Week starts on Sunday 13 November and runs until Sunday 20 November based on the theme of ‘infinite possibilities’.
“We are focusing on key themes that we know the public is concerned about such as sustainable living, mental health and digital technologies,” said SFI director general Prof Philip Nolan. “Science Week is a fantastic opportunity for people all over Ireland to discover and engage with science.”
Here is a round-up of some of the events happening around Ireland over the next couple of days.
Inside the body at Merrion Square
One of the events taking place during Science Week 2022 is Body, described as an outdoor immersive experience that aims to educate people on the human body.
Combining human biology with light, sound, fire and other special effects, Body will run over four nights starting 16 November at Dublin’s Merrion Square.
The free event will see the deployment of cutting-edge technology to engage young and curious minds in thinking about anatomy and offer a range of options for education in STEAM subjects.
A deep dive into marine science in Galway
Discover the survey work undertaken by Ireland’s newest research vessel, the RV Tom Crean, at the Bailey Allen Hall in the University of Galway.
Held by the Marine Institute, the event is a family-friendly deep dive into the kind of work marine researchers do on the RV Tom Crean and the RV Celtic Explorer, both of which are based in Galway Port.
For little ones, there’s an opportunity to enter a competition to win a Lego City Ocean Exploration set and an ocean-themed book hamper for their primary school.
Out of this world events at the NSC, Cork
Moving from the sea to the sky, the National Space Centre (NSC) is holding several events as part of Science Week this year.
The NSC is located in Cork and it plans to celebrate space and science through an arty lens. Highlights include an astrophotography workshop, an interactive demonstration exploring the physics of flight through circus skills and an experimental music communication workshop with the final recording sent into space.
Do we need a Science Gallery?
A panel discussion event asks this question on Thursday, 17 November following the news earlier this year and late last year that our national Science Gallery could close.
Join a panel of experts to discuss the role of science museums and science centres in Ireland at the Seamus Heaney Lecture Hall on Dublin City University’s St Patrick’s Campus in Drumcondra.
Speakers on the night include Lynn Scarff, director of the National Museum of Ireland, and Sarah Durcan, executive director of Science Gallery International.
The science of hurling
This event at Galway’s Black Box Theatre on Wednesday, 16 November examines the science behind the technology that athletes are using to train their minds and bodies for peak performance.
Darren Frehill of RTÉ Sports will be joined by sports psychologist Tony Óg Regan; Prof Kieran Collins, director of the Gaelic Sports Research Centre at TU Dublin; Niamh Mallon, performance nutrition scientist at Orreco; Des Ryan, director of coaching and performance at Setanta College; and Prof Eamon O’Shea, professor of economics and former Tipperary hurling team manager and coach.
The science of obesity
If you’re in Maynooth rather than Galway next Wednesday, a talk on destigmatising obesity with science may tickle your fancy.
Join scientists and academics at Maynooth University’s North Campus as they discuss topics such as whether or not obesity is a disease and why it is such a taboo topic in society.
Science on TV
The national broadcaster is getting in on the Science Week celebrations, too. Science-related shows on the schedule at RTÉ include Future Island presented by Anna Daly, a documentary about menopause and the return of ‘10 Things to Know About’, a variety show that hones in on a different topic each episode.
There will also be lots of science-related items to keep an eye and an ear out for on RTÉ Brainstorm, RTÉ Player and RTÉ Weather.
Fossil favourites
Scientists at University College Cork need the public’s help to decide on Ireland’s top fossil this Science Week.
The scientists have come up with a shortlist of 10 of Ireland’s most unique and interesting fossils ranging from the Tetrapod Trackway on Kerry’s Valentia Island to Keraterpeton, an extinct amphibian which was originally found fossilised in Kilkenny and resembles a tiny dragon.
For more information on the full programme of nationwide events happening this year for Science Week, see SFI’s website.
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