SCIENCE WEEK:A FIVE-DAY interactive science exhibition which attracted 8,000 visitors last year is set to get under way this morning at Cork City Hall. Discovery 2009 Interactive Science Exhibition begins with two family days this weekend. It aims to educate through enjoyment.
Children learn about chemistry, physics, biology and IT via fun activities such as experimenting with slime, creating an electronic circuit or zapping microbes in their gut.
The exhibition aims to interest 10-15 year olds in science, engineering, technology and maths through activities, puzzles and games.
“We had queues around the block last year – it was great to see so many families having fun with learning,” says Marcela Whelan, exhibition co-ordinator.
Regular exhibitors include UCC, CIT, the Tyndall National Institute, Lifetime Lab and Fás, along with Cork City Council, Cork Electronics Industry Association, the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces, plus local technology-based businesses.
Blackrock Castle Observatory will be bringing its portable planetarium in celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009. This resource was launched at Discovery in 2008 and has toured schools in the region since. Discovery 2009 welcomes back Steve Thomas, a roboteer from the UK, and Techniquest, exhibition creators from Wales. “This exhibition aims to encourage young people to be inquisitive and to seek a better understanding of how things work. Hopefully, it will also provide the motivation for more young people to pursue a career in these important fields,” says Ted Owens, chief executive of Cork City VEC and chair of the Cork City Learning Forum, organisers of Discovery.
School groups will visit Discovery for the three days after the opening weekend. The event, a partner of Science Week Ireland, will also be running outreach events for schools this month.
Discovery 2009 is designed to encourage uptake of science, technology, engineering and maths right through secondary school and into college and onwards, to meet the future recruitment needs of local high-skill employees. Discovery is an initiative of the Cork City Learning Forum for Cork City Development Board, facilitated by Cork City Council and chaired by Cork City VEC A movie clip of Discovery 2008 can be found on YouTube