An animated TV series about science, a chance to invent electronics and a poster campaign are among successful projects to win a share in a €1.6 million fund to encourage people to participate in science.
Science, technology, engineering and maths can be a hard sell for young people and their parents, but the Science Foundation Ireland Discover programme hopes to break down this reticence by showing these subjects in a better light. Details of the successful 39 projects have been released in Dublin by the Foundation. The projects themselves will occur throughout 2015 with some taking place in 2016.
The goal was to encourage interest, excitement and debate about these subjects, said Dr Ruth Freeman, the foundation’s director of strategy and communications. The Discovery programme assists by supporting these types of projects but also other events such as SciFest, the Festival of Curiosity and National Maths Week.
MakerDojo gives the public a chance to become garage inventors and entrepreneurs by allowing them to build electronics. Participants include Tyndall National Institute in Cork, Biomaker Forma and DesignerDojo. The Dart of Physics poster campaign planned by Trinity College Dublin's school of physics will build on its previous success in delivering entertaining aspects of physics on a train platform poster.
Applications for the Discover programme passed through international peer review before being selected for funding, the foundation said. It provides half the money with the public and private sector partners making up the remaining funding.
The programme helped people to see the wide range of career opportunities available to those studying these subjects, said Minister of State for Skills, Research and Innovation Damien English.
Successful outreach and public understanding events helped to "future-proof" the flow of science, technology, engineering and maths graduates that would help the Irish economy grow, he said.
The various events would attract an estimated 4.5 million people during 2015, the Foundation said. They were of interest to children and adults alike, and would help demystify these subjects and show their value and importance in terms of careers and jobs.
