LaunchofSciFest2023
SciFest Announces Extended EirGrid Partnership as it LaunchestheSciFest2023Programme
SciFest, Ireland’s largest and most inclusive STEM fair programme for second-level students, has announced its return for the 18th consecutive year, with this year ’ s competition theme to focus on climate action. The competition attracts 10,000 student participants annually and organisers have kicked off the 2023 competition with a call for entrants to regional fairs around the country. Since launching in 2006, more than 90,000 studentshaveparticipatedinthecompetition.
At the launch it was announced that EirGrid is joining SciFest as a project partner, joining long-time partners Intel and Boston Scientific EirGrid has been a gold sponsor at the school level for the past year As part of the extended partnership they will sponsor a new award, the ‘Climate and Delivering a Cleaner Energy Future’ award at this year ’ s regional fairs and attheSciFestNationalFinal.
Speaking at the launch, Minister for Education, Norma Foley, TD said:
“I am delighted to join the SciFest team to celebrate the launch of SciFest 2023. Initiatives such as SciFest cultivate a genuine curiosity for science and STEM from an early age It is fantastic to see so many young people actively engaging with important issues like climate change and looking at practical, creative and innovative solutions for issues facing society today ”
SciFestEzine LaunchofSciFest2023 DawnMeatstosponsoran AgriculturalScienceAward SciFest@College2023 SciFest@Teen-Turn2022/2023 SciFestSocialMediaLinks SciFest@School2022/2023 SciFest@College2023Awards Celebrating17YearsofSciFest Volume14,Number3,February2023 Inthisissue
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SciFestLauncheswithCallsforEntriesforthe2023Competition
Speaking at the launch of SciFest 2023 at Clogher Road Community College in Dublin, Sheila Porter, SciFest Founder and CEO said: “SciFest has now been running for 17 years and 2023willmarkour18thyearofthecompetition.Thegrowthof SciFest is reflected in the establishment of our project partnership with EirGrid, who have already shown steadfast support to the competition over the past year at local level. I amdelightedtoannounceclimateactionasthethemeofthis year ’ s competition. We greatly look forward to seeing students’ innovative solutions, from across a range of STEM fields,whichweknowwillplayanimportantroleinhelpingus addressmanyofthechallengesfacingsociety”
“Leading on sustainability and decarbonisation is central to our strategy. By extending this partnership with SciFest, we want to continue to provide a space for second level students to explore and develop their ideas for a cleaner energy future, as we work to transition to low carbon, renewable energy ”
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DoireannBarry,HeadofStrategyand SustainabilitywithEirGrid
MichaelWalsh,R&DManagerBostonScientific,TraceyNolan,StrategicPlanning ManagerPublicAffairsatIntelIreland,MinisterforEducation,NormaFoley,TD,Sheila Porter,SciFestFounderandCEOandDoireannBarry,HeadofStrategy& SustainabilityatEirGrid
LaunchofSciFest2023,SciFest@School,ClogherRoadCommunityCollege
DawnMeatstoSponsoran AgriculturalScienceAward
SciFest is delighted to announce that Dawn Meats, one of Europe’s leading meat processors, has agreed to sponsor a brand new award, the Dawn Meats Agricultural Science Award, at SciFest@College2023.
Speakingabouttheirsponsorship,PaulNolan,Dawn Meats Group Development Manager said: “We are delightedtosponsorthisyear’s‘AgriculturalScience Award’.LeadersofthefutureIrishmeatindustrywill require drive and dedication from the emerging problem solvers of today, especially those who focus on agriculture and food science with sustainableproductionatitscore
We will be inviting three of the regional winners, whoseprojectsaredeemedmostrelevantto
Dawn Meats, to join us for a plant tour at one of our facilities before this year ’ s summer holidays. We would like to thank SciFest for sharing in this partnership and wish all those taking part the very best of luckwiththeirprojects.”
Speaking about the partnership, SciFest’s Founder and CEO, Sheila Porter said; ‘Agricultural science has neverbeenmoreimportantthaninthemodernworld Itisthroughacombinationofclassroomlearning and outside experiences such as SciFest that our young people come to understand that agriculture is about smart farming and using natural resources to increase food production without compromising future generations. We are delighted to have Dawn Meats as a Gold Sponsor and a new Dawn Meats Agriculture Science Award at each of the SciFest@College 2023 regional venues. We look forward to workingwiththemintheyearahead.’
SciFest@College2023
We are delighted to announce that the SciFest@College fairs will be in person again this year Dates of the fairs are posted on the website as they become available. To date, 14 of the colleges have confirmed their dates. Click here. to view the SciFest@College exhibitiondatesandcontacts.
There will be lots of special awards available at each regional venue.ClickonheretoviewtheSciFest2023special awards.
Two new awards for 2023 include the 'EirGrid Climate and Delivering a Cleaner Energy Future Award' (This award is also available at SciFest@School and at the National Final) and the 'DawnMeatsAgriculturalScienceAward'.
A Boston Scientific Medical Devices Award and an Intel Technology Award are also available at both SciFest@College and National Finallevel.
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SciFest@Teen-Turn2022
SciFest@Teen-Turn took Place on 10 December in the Digital Depot in Dublin.Some50projectswereondisplayandthejudgesincludedHugo RowsomeandBillyFlemingfromSciFest,LaurenSwan,HeadofResearch, Aontas, Ankita Kaira, Software Engineer, Microsoft and Mark Canavan, SeniorGovernmentAffairsmanager,Janssen
At 3 pm Áine Kerr, Head of Safety Analysis, Spotify addressed the students There was a hush in the hall as she described her amazing journey (see link) to become one of Ireland's most well known entrepreneurs. This was followed by a short awards ceremony. The awards were presented by Áine Kerr and Sheila Porter, SciFest Founder andCEO.
'I'm so delighted and honoured that my project was selected to compete in this year's National Final and I can't wait to travel up to Dublin to meet the judges and all the other finalists. SciFest has really brought out a love for STEM that I didn't know I had, and it's been an amazing experience to learn so much from this while having great fun. Developing this project has undoubtedly been one of my best memories from secondary school and one that I will always remember.'
CommentFromaFifthYearStudent SciFestNationalFinal November2022
Click on the icons below to follow and like SciFest on social media
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SciFest@School2022/2023
Over90schoolshaveregisteredtohosttheirownin-house SciFest@SchoolSTEMfairsforthisacademicyearsofar,with manymoretofollow.Seethefullupdatedlistof SciFest@Schoolfairsonthislink.
A SciFest@School STEM fair is a great way to engage students in inquiry-based learning At Junior Cycle it fits neatly with the Nature of Science component of Science and the Unifying Strand of Maths and makes an engaging TransitionYearmodule.
To learn more about the SciFest@School programme please visittheSciFestwebsite.
To register your SciFest@School fair please download a registration form from theSciFestwebsite and, as in previous years, return the completed form to sheilaporter@scifestie ortoinfo@scifestie
'We are absolutely delighted with how it went and it was all so worth it. I have to say though that it was only so successful because of all of the help and resources provided by SciFest so thank you so much for making it possible Everything you sent prior to the event made it so much easier to prepare for and then this was all topped off with Hugo on the day He couldn’t have been better and was so helpful. He really helped everything to run smoothly and in an organised way with the judging which was one of the aspects I wasn’t sure of navigating on the day.'
TeachersComment SciFest@School2022/2023
In July, with funding from the Medtronic Foundation, SciFest appointed a Senior School Liaison Officer, Billy Fleming, to work closly with DEIS schools and to offer them additional supportswhichinclude:
A school visit, in-person or online to give practical guidance on the running of a successful SciFest@School eventandtosupportstudentswiththeirprojects
Professional development opportunities. SciFest will run a number of CPD events to support DEIS school teachers to getthemostoutoftheirSciFest@SchoolSTEMfair.
Resources: The SciFest website is full of excellent resourcestohelpyouandyourstudentshaveagreatfair. Thereyouwillfindclassroomsupportmaterials,guidance, examples of projects from around Ireland and a whole lot more
A bursary for participating DEIS schools to purchase additionalmaterialstosupporttheirSTEMfair
COLÁISTE ÍOSAGÁIN, PORTARLINGTON
DRUMSHANBO CC CO LEITRIM
OUR LADY OF MERCY COLLEGE, BEAUMONT
THE TERESIAN SCHOOL, DUBLIN
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Contact Details:
Email: info@scifest.ie
Mobile: 086 379 6143 Website: www.scifest.ie
BestProjectAward
Runner-upBestProjectAward
BostonScientificMedicalDevicesAward
IntelAward(BestTechnologyProject)
TheInstituteofPhysicsAward
BusinessExcellenceInstituteAward
SmurfitKappaSustainabilityAward
FenergoCommunicationAward
AccentureMathsinScienceAward
RegeneronLifeSciencesAward
SciFestChemistryStudentAward
DiscoverSpaceStudentAward
IrishScienceTeachers'AssociationAward
6 Theclosingdatefor submissionofentryformsto SciFest@College2023is Friday,10March Enteronlineat www.scifest.ie SciFest@College2023AwardsateachRegionalVenue Include:
NewAwardsfor SciFest@College2023 EirGridClimateandDelivering DawnMeatsAgricultural aCleanerEnergyFutureAward ScienceAward
