Vortex, Startrek, Fireball, Flying: What's the connection?

Engineers Week runs until Sunday and includes more than 140 events across the country. JOHN HOLDENlooks at the constructive and inventive things that you can get up to

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT you but I feel like building bridges. Not metaphorical ones, the real kind. It’s Engineers Week and across the country there are events taking place in which budding engineers can try their hand in this broad and fascinating field. From software engineering to wannabe airline pilots, those who want to build, design and improve our world can find something cool to learn about.

Aside from all the smaller events across the country, each day of the week a main event is also taking place, exploring the different aspects of the Irish engineering industry.

On Monday an overview of the importance of the engineering industry to Ireland took place. Tuesday focused on innovation at third-level colleges.

Today some of Ireland’s largest engineering employers open their doors to the public. Tomorrow Engineers Ireland’s second national volunteer day will see volunteer engineers all over Ireland go to primary schools to talk about the wonders of maths. On Friday a panel discussion with business leaders and politicians will take place in the Engineers Ireland lecture theatre.

Saturday is a family fun day and will feature exciting science shows and engineering exhibitions. On Sunday they’ll be wrapping things up with events nationwide.

Below is just a taster of what’s going on (some of these events are taking place more than once on various dates and in various locations nationwide. For more details go to: engineersweek.ie

The technologies of Star Trek

Galway

Star Trekhas evolved quite a bit since the original 1960s show. As old as the original may be, its many gadgets were to inspire a generation of young inventors. Distant ancestors of everyday communications devices, like the iPad and mobile phone for example, were first seen on Star Trek.

“Science Fiction Becomes Reality: The Technologies of Star Trek” workshop for primary and post primary students took place in the Digital Enterprise Research Institute in NUI Galway yesterday. Unfortunately these “trekkie” inventors are yet to invent a time machine so we could all go.

Design and build a bridge

Belfast

Today at the Belfast Metropolitan College groups of students are constructing bridges across a river valley. Participants must come up with a design that can carry a simple truck, the weight of which will be increased until the bridge can take no more.

The winner will be the bridge “that carries the highest load as a proportion of its total weight (load/constructed weight) as this will be a measure of structural efficiency”. The students will be given various pictures and diagrams to inspire their designs.

Laser daze

Cork

This interactive workshop for secondary level, junior cycle students at the Tyndell National Institute, which took place yesterday, looked at the important role lasers play in our everyday lives. Not just for cutting James Bond in half, lasers have many practical uses. Your Blu-ray player and high speed internet connection, to name just two everyday items, are both laser-based technology. In this workshop, students will design and build their own working laser. They will also learn how laser light is used to transfer information and protect many of our most valuable possessions.

CSI Maths workshop

Dublin

Tomorrow the Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Maths workshop for secondary level, junior cycle students takes place in the Engineers Week bus at the South Dublin County Council offices in Tallaght.

Students will help the forensic officer to solve two crimes by using fingerprint and powder analysis techniques. This workshop is not only good fun, it also develops analytical and problem-solving skills.

The Tallaght workshop is fully booked but CSI Maths is taking place in various other locations around Ireland during the week.

Air-mazing: engineering the future with pneumatics

Tipperary

On Friday "cannons, vortexes, fire-balls and vacuums" are just some of the spectacular demonstrations that will be seen by primary school students at this interactive engineering show at the Tipperary Institute in Thurles. "The reason engineering was invented: to fire a piece of potato at over 300km an hour", will demonstrate how compressed air might be the fuel of the future. James Soper, presenter of the BBC One Bang Goes the Theoryroad show and Science Shows for Schoolsis your host.

Flying start

Clare

This is flying fun at its best. On Saturday airplane enthusiasts can have a go in a flight simulator at the Atlantic AirVenture Flight Simulator Centre in Shannon. But this is no ordinary simulation. Participants will take part in a race in the Red Bull Extra 300 high performance aircraft. “The mission is to find the Statue of Liberty, fly a circle around it to meet your own smoke trail, then to fly down the Hudson River, under the Brooklyn Bridge, and finally back to JFK for a landing.”

This is one of a number of flying events taking place in Clare during Engineers Week. Check the website for more details.