The Irish Centre for Talented Youth at Dublin City University and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals of Cork this morning launch the £500,000 "Pfizer Science Bus", a fully fitted mobile laboratory where students aged from nine to 12 can learn about science.
The £500,000 project brings modern science teaching systems directly to all pupils and should help to overcome the difficulties faced by some schools which lack good facilities for teaching science.
The full-size coach sports the motto, "A Journey of Discovery". It has a crew of two, Dr Michelle O'Rourke and Ms Ita Murphy, who will show how a potato clock works, what causes optical illusions, how to test for acids using red cabbage juice and other experiments.
The experimental content is matched to the new primary school science curriculum, said Dr Sheila Gilheany, director of the centre at DCU.
She expressed concern about the falling numbers of students doing science at third level.
"The most frequently heard remark from children who have been on the science bus is, `I want to be a scientist when I grow up.' Let's hope we can build on that enthusiasm," she added.
Pfizer sponsored the bus, and the company's managing director in Ireland, Mr Paddy Caffrey, said it was happy to support this "innovative approach to science education". He added: "It is our hope that the science bus will help to inspire the next generation of scientists."
Initial funding came from the DCU Education Trust and the Pfizer Foundation.
Ongoing costs, including salaries, fuel and consumables, will be covered by the trust and by fees including a £100 charge per day to have the bus at a school.
The bus will travel to primary schools all over the State for day visits.
Further information is available by emailing Dr Gilheany at sciencebus@dcu.ie or by phone (01) 704-5090.
Information will also be available within a few weeks at the centre's website, http://www.dcu.ie/ctyi
