The Limerick Festival of Science, taking place from 9-16 November as part of National Science Week, will celebrate the role of science in the lives of people in the Mid-West region and aims to unleash the potential of science to shape our future. Organised by the Department of STEM Education at Mary Immaculate College (MIC), University of Limerick and Limerick Institute of Technology, the festival will feature a range of science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) activities in venues across Limerick city and county.
Launching MIC’s Science Week events today (6 November), Dr Aisling Leavy, Head of the Department of STEM Education at MIC, said “Almost 2,500 children and adults will engage with a wide variety of innovative, impactful and meaningful experiences during MIC’s Science Week activities. As a result, we continue to build public awareness of the importance of science in everyday life and situate MIC as a place where people of all ages can ignite their curiosity in science.”
This year’s events in Mary Immaculate College began today in the Lime Tree Theatre where over 1,000 primary school students from across Limerick and Clare, including Tuamgraney National School in East Clare (pictured), learned about the work of palaeontologists. The ‘Dippy the Dinosaur’ show, presented by Sue McGrath, explored how fossils are used by palaeontologists to unravel the puzzles surrounding the lives of dinosaurs.
In addition to the events for children taking place at MIC Limerick, there will also be a number of events aimed at the wider public which will focus on understanding climate change and how science and technology can help us create a positive climate future.
As part of the ‘One World Seminar Series on Climate Change’ next week, Dr Tim Lane from Liverpool John Moores University and Eimear Tynan from Oslo School of Architecture and Design will share their experiences of working in the Arctic, while Dr John Morrissey, lecturer in the Department of Geography at MIC will host a workshop on ‘Climate Conversations: From Small Steps to System Change’.
This Friday (8 November), a workshop facilitated by Bev Pourino from Health and Fitness Ireland will explore the science of sleep and provide practical strategies on improving your sleep quality. Health and Fitness Ireland will also present a talk on 19 November that will focus on positive psychology and understanding our well-being.
Finally, ‘Jump into STEM’, a professional development workshop open to all primary school pre-service and in-service teachers, will focus on thematic planning in primary schools and explore how Physical Education and STEM can be integrated into curricular areas.
Speaking about the events on offer at MIC Limerick during the Limerick Festival of Science, Dr Aisling Leavy, Head of the Department of STEM Education at MIC, said “These high-quality educational events would not have been provided without the input of expert scientists and skilled speakers alongside MIC faculty members and staff across several departments. The enthusiasm and initiative of our student teachers, who work alongside the many hundreds of primary children who visited MIC, ensure the provision of exemplary STEM learning experiences”.
Dr Anne O’ Dwyer, science lecturer at MIC and coordinator of the Limerick Festival of Science at MIC concluded by saying, “The participation of staff and students across the MIC community is much appreciated, as this has helped to develop the diversity of events for public engagement, as well as the variety of interactive workshops for primary school pupils running over two weeks”
The following events are free and open to the public. No pre-booking required.
- 8 November, 1pm: Improving your Sleep Quality, workshop facilitated by Bev Pourino, Health and Fitness Ireland. Location: SG10
- 11 November, 1pm: Climate Change: A View from the Arctic, presentation by Dr Tim Lane, Lecturer in Physical Geography at Liverpool John Moores University. Location: G10
- 13 November, 1pm: Iceblinks-Changing Arctic Islands, presentation by Eimear Tynan, PhD Fellow at the Institute of Urbanism and Landscape, Oslo School of Architecture and Design. Location: G10
- 15 November, 1pm: Climate Conversations: From Small Steps to System Change, workshop facilitated by Dr John Morrissey, Department of Geography, MIC. Location: G10
- 19 November, 1pm: Positive Psychology, workshop facilitated by Tom O Donoghue, Health and Fitness Ireland. Location: T116
The series of shows and workshops taking place at MIC Limerick for primary school children include:
- 8 & 22 November: Physics of Flight STEM Workshops at Scoil Mháthair Dé, Limerick
- 11 November: Pumping the A into STEAM by the A-Team at MIC’s Art Studio
- 11 November: Look Up! by Simon Watt at Scoil Mháthair Dé, Limerick
- 12 November: Fantastic Physics by Anyone4Science at St. Anne’s Primary School, Rathkeale
- 13/14/20/21 November: Hands-On Minds On Science at MIC Limerick
- 15 November: Return of the Brainteaser Bandits at MIC Limerick
- Date TBC: Coillte Tree Planting Initiative with primary schools
The Limerick Festival of Science is funded by Science Foundation Ireland.
Events will also be taking place at MIC Thurles throughout Science Week as part of the MIC led Tipperary Festival of Science. You can read more about TFS here.
