MyScience.ie

This video provided by the Saturday Morning Science Experiment shows how the molecules of a gummy bear are rearranged when it is added to molten Potassium Chloride.

On Thursday, 25th of March from 8:00pm Astronomy Ireland will be hosting Mars and Saturn Telescope Watches in various locations all around the country. This free event is open to everyone and gives astronomers of all levels the chance to meet other enthusiasts and share knowledge and experience.

The main watch will be in the Phoenix Park in Dublin, which will feature Ireland’s most powerful hand held laser to point out various elements in the night sky. Attendees are invited to wrap up in warm clothes and further information on the events and locations around the country can be found by clicking here.

Discover Science & Engineering will be hosting the Science Zone at the St Patrick’s Festival “Big Day Out” on Sunday, 14th March 2010 in Merrion Square, Dublin. The Science Zone will feature a fun science show for all the family, which will run every half hour from midday to 6pm. There will also be a mini science fair, including Discover Primary Science, a K’Nex Challenge Workshop, Smoothie Bike, Dublin Zoo, Galway Atlantaquaria, Energy Bike, and Sustainable Energy Ireland’s “Energy Game”.

The “Big Day Out” is a festival within a festival, featuring street theatre, performance and music in the heart of Georgian Dublin. With acts from Ireland and around the world, there is plenty to do for all ages and interests. Further information on the event can be found by clicking here.

The RDS is now looking for potential applicants to apply for for this year’s RDS Science Work Placement. The placement is open to applications from current students/graduates of the MSc Science Communication in DCU or any other suitably qualified individuals. The work placement will see the student work on the RDS Science Writers’ Competition and RDS Science Events.

The annual RDS Young Science Writers’ Competition was first launched in 1992 to promote science communication amongst secondary school students and to encourage them to conduct their own piece of research and report on it. All compositions will be in either short story or science report format. This year’s Competition has just been launched with the closing date for final submissions being Friday, April 23, 2010. Winners will be announced in September. The placement student will be primarily concerned with the initial evaluation and assessment of approximately 300 science compositions. This will involve:

• Creating and establishing a database of entries;
• Reading and assessing all entries;
• Developing and maintaining an evaluation document on each entry in order to facilitate
  selection and short listing;
• Web-based research on the content of many of the essays to verify facts and figures that may be contained in the compositions;
• Liaison with the Science Executive and or judging panel.

In addition to the above main task, there will be an opportunity for the placement student to become involved in the running of RDS Science Foundation events that will take place during their placement. These events, organised in association with The Irish Times, are evening lectures geared towards a general audience. The topics covered include immunology and science communication.

If interested, please submit a cover letter and CV to Michele@rds.ie or post to Michele Collins, Royal Dublin Society, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Closing Date: Wednesday, 7 April 2010. Further information about the RDS can be found by clicking here.

UNAWE Certificate of Appreciation

Originally uploaded by Discover Science & Engineering

Discover Science and Engineering is proud to announce it has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by the Universe Awareness for Young Children programme. UNAWE is an international outreach activity that uses the beauty and grandeur of the universe to inspire very young disadvantaged children. Further information on the programme can be found by clicking here.

Featured on the Stimulus to Engage page on the Discover Sensors website, the below video demonstrates how friction works using just two books and shows how you can try this one yourself.

The Stimulus to Engage page features a number of interesting videos covering areas such as electricity and energy, magnetism, density and flotation, and hair strength to name but a few. To view these and other interesting videos, click here.

RDS Science Live

Originally uploaded by Discover Science & Engineering

The RDS is now accepting applications for the 2010 RDS Science Live Demonstration Lecture Bursaries. Now in its 11th year the RDS Science Live Demonstration Lecture Series continues to enable educators to explore creative ways of encouraging young people to see science and maths as exciting, challenging and fun.

Every year bursaries are awarded on a competitive basis for demonstration lectures that best explore creative ways of encouraging students to see science as exciting, challenging and fun. Recipients are required to conduct the demonstration lecture as part of the RDS Science Live Demonstration Lecture series held at the RDS Concert Hall every October and November. As part of the terms and conditions associated with the bursary, recipients are requested also to present their demonstration lecture at two other venues throughout the country before the end of the calendar year.
The closing date for applications is Friday the 9th April 2010. For further information please click here or contact science@rds.ie.

It has been announced that the Centre for Academic Achievement has been successful in the 2010 Taoiseach Awards and will receive a Public Service Excellence award from An Taoiseach in Dublin Castle on March 31st. The Taoiseach Awards are open to all projects in the public sector and from 208 entries, 20 projects were selected by an independent selection committee chaired by David Harvey to receive an award in 2010. Further information on the Taoiseach Awards is available by clicking here.

The Centre for Academic Achievement is a joint project for primary school students in disadvantaged areas run by CTYI and the DCU Access Office. Financed by Discover Science and Engineering, It aims to work with bright children between 9-12 years old from inner city Dublin. Teachers in local schools nominate students they feel would benefit from extra academic stimulation. At DCU children have the opportunity to study medicine, forensics, sport science, chemistry, engineering, investigative science and ‘me and my body’.

Greenwave 2010

Originally uploaded by Discover Science & Engineering

Greenwave 2010 has been launched by Discover Science and Engineering. Greenwave, a mass science experiment encourages students to get involved in tracking the movement of spring across Ireland. Under the programme, students are asked to log their sightings of the six species that are indicators of spring on the Greenwave website.

An increased focus on maths will be incorporated into the project this year, as students will be asked to measure the wind speed at their school. Students will learn how to build an anemometer, a device to measure how fast the wind is blowing, and will be asked to record speeds during the course of the project. This subtle investigative approach will help participating students relate maths to their everyday lives.

Launched in 2007, the programme has proved very successful with over 800 official sightings of spring and 500 observations submitted from around the country in 2009.

Commenting on the launch, Peter Brabazon, Programme Director, Discover Science and Engineering, said, “Greenwave has always proved highly popular with students because of the increased interest in the environment and climate change. All of our educational initiatives are geared to make science and maths exciting for students by bringing the textbook to life and incorporating concepts into experiments that relate to their everyday lives. This year we have put an added emphasis on maths as part of our strategic remit to help improve skills in young people as we lay the foundations for an innovation economy for the future.”

The Greenwave project is based on the fact that during springtime, buds on trees and hedges begin to open up. This creates a green wave which can be viewed from outer space. This green wave begins in the south of Europe in February and as the temperature rises, it moves up across Europe travelling at approximately 4 miles per hour; similar to the speed at which a human walks. According to this, it would take three weeks to walk across Ireland from Mizen head to Malin head.

Between the months of February and March, students are asked to log their sightings of species including ash, horse chestnut, hawthorn trees, the primrose, the swallow and frogspawn. Students are also asked to record wind speed, rainfall and temperature. The results are mapped onto the Greenwave website to see whether spring moves from north to south or inland from coast to centre.

The information obtained from participating students’ logging of sightings will be valuable in determining whether or not climate change is causing flowers to bloom earlier and, as a result, how Irish wildlife is affected. The data will be plotted on the Greenwave website www.greenwave.ie, where visitors will be able to view the findings and track nature’s progress over time.

Students who participate in the experiment will be in with a chance to win some great prizes by submitting photos of their sightings on www.greenwave.ie. The photos will be judged by Eanna Ni Lahmna and Gerald Flemming and the winning school will receive a digital camera and printer.

Schools wishing to take part in this year’s Greenwave experiment can register online at www.greenwave.ie. The project also caters for Gaelscoileanna, with materials available in Irish on the website. All schools taking part in the Greenwave project will earn credit towards the Discover Primary Science Awards of Science & Maths Excellence

THE DEN – RTE Two

Originally uploaded by Discover Science & Engineering

The Den is launching a new show packed with science, action, logic, strategy and explosions! If you are in to science and think you have what it takes to conquer the mountain, then you and a group of friends should apply. The series is looking for teams of three aged between 10 and 12 on/before December 31st 2010. Your team should be confident that you can work together as the series is all about team work, strategy, science and action.

To apply, print off and fill in the Application Form and Terms & Conditions below. Completed application forms along with a photo of each team member should be sent to aoife.oreilly@rte.ie or post Aoife O’Reilly, The Den, RTÉ, Donnybrook, Dublin 4, Ireland. Further information, including an application form and terms and conditions can be found by clicking here.

The deadline for all applications is Friday March 5th 2010.