Science Week at IT Sligo kicks off with the annual Science Fair this year this Sunday from 12 noon to 5pm.
The Science Fair is the largest, free event for families in Sligo and promises to be a fun-filled event.
Head of Science at IT Sligo, Dr Jeremy Bird said: “Science Week is a highlight in the academic calendar at IT Sligo and we particularly look forward to welcoming families into the Institute for the annual Science Fair. The theme of this year’s Science Week is ‘Our Place in Space’.
“Science is all around us and we have fun and interactive presentations at the Science Fair on the application of science in everything from computer games and archaeology, to magic and nature. It is a fun, free day out for everyone who has an interest in the world around us, and there is something for all interests on the day.”
There will also be a number of fascinating evening lectures at IT Sligo during Science Week from November 7th to November 14th on topics as diverse as the hunt for extra-terrestrial life, bioterrorism and the archaeological secrets hidden in Ireland’s caves.
Full details are included below.
Click here to view live stream of events
11th Annual Science Fair
Sunday 7th November 2010
12noon– 5pm
Suitable for all ages – All welcome – Free!
IT Sligo Science Week is sponsored by:
IT Sligo: ForFas: Elanco: IDA: Discover Science and Engineering The Book Nest: Hollister
Aeroplane Building Competition
Ian Craig IT Sligo
1.00pm: 2.30pm and 4.00pm
Room E1007
Build a plane from a choice of five designs and see how long it flies.
Prizes are awarded for each session.
Prizes are sponsored by IBOTZ LTD Longford.
Learn how to program with SCRATCH – Create your own interactive story, game or animation – and share it with others on the web
Vivion Kinsella, IT Sligo lecturer
2pm
Room B1042
A two hour workshop suitable for 8 years plus. Maximum of 20 people.
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Recycle Magic with Magician Marvin
12.30pm, 2.30pm and 4.30pm
Room A0006
A 45 minute show for primary school children, using magic and puppets to entertain, provoke thought and promote greater awareness of recycling. ________________________________________________________________________
10,000 years of Amazing Archaeology
IT Sligo staff and archaeology students
All Day
Main Canteen
The Applied Archaeology Programme will host a fully interactive archaeological adventure for people of all ages. We will have a full display of usable, touchable archaeological artefacts and weapons, covering over 10,000 years of Irish history and prehistory. Try out our Archae ‘Lolly’ G excavation where you can excavate for bones and trade them in for lollipops, archaeological colouring books, balloons and sweets. Crawl through a cave and see some Palaeolithic paintings. Learn how to make prehistoric jewellery. Look at specimens through microscopes. Examine replica human skeletons and figure out what bone goes where. Find out about local archaeological sites and monuments. ________________________________________________________________________
Game Programming: Paul Powell & Neil Gannon IT Sligo
2.30pm Room B1043
XNA programming workshop – Build and deploy a game on an Xbox
Age 10 and over only 15 people max
Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue
All Day
Canteen
The Sligo Leitrim Mountain Rescue displays its equipment and abseiling techniques.
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Irish Defence Forces 4th Western Brigade
All Day
Canteen
The Western Brigade will be present all afternoon with the E.O.D (Explosive Ordnance Disposal).
Meet the men and women of our Defence Forces and learn about life in the Irish Army.
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Eagles Flying – Irish Raptor Research Centre
All Day
Front Foyer
Experience some of the biggest birds of prey in the world as you enter IT Sligo.
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Randal Henly presents Fun with Science
12noon and 2pm
Room A0004
Science spectacles to entertain and educate – a wonderful lecture and demonstration showing all the fun and magic of science. ________________________________________________________________________
Sue McGrath with Disgusting Digestion
12noon, 1pm, 3.00pm and 4.00pm
Room B1058
See how your body really works!
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Dale Treadwell ‘Life in Your Back garden’
12.30pm, 1.30pm, 3pm and 4pm
Room E0017
Dale brings you his unique take on the life to be found in your very own back garden.
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Exploris Mobile Rock pool
12noon – 5pm
Front Foyer
A mobile marine discovery pool; see local marine wildlife and watch them move.
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Discover Primary Science Display
12.30pm-2.30pm
Main Concourse
An exciting display of science experiments by local primary school children.
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Nature Challenge, Michael Bell
12noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3.30pm, 4.30pm
Room B2007
See nature in detail with the aid of microscopes. Identify leaves and seeds and take the birdsong challenge. Observe creepy crawlies from local habitats. These and other hands- on activities will be fun for children and adults alike.
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Annabel McLoone presents ‘Sciencetastic’
12noon, 2pm, 4pm
Room B2001
Cabbage Chemistry! Lava in a cup! Tie-dyed Milk! Fizz Inflator! Fabulous Foamy Fountain! Just a few of the experiments you can try out this afternoon.
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Mobile Planetarium: Space encounters
Dr. Ed Barnett
12noon, 12.45pm, 1.30pm, 2.15pm, 3.20pm, 4.05pm, 4.50pm, 5.35pm
Black Box Theatre
Dr Ed Barnett presents the night sky in all its beauty. Tickets from the planetarium.
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Voluntary First Response Search, Rescue and Recovery Services
Sligo Bay Life Boat
All Day
Canteen
Take the opportunity to meet the volunteers and members of Sligo and Leitrim’s emergency services, hear their stories and see the equipment they use.
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Sligo Fire Service
All Day
Canteen
Display of fire prevention and damage. ________________________________________________________________________
Science & Technology Puzzle
All Day
Canteen
Get your entry form from our volunteers and be in with a chance to win a book voucher from the BOOKNEST, Sligo.
Sligo Model Flying Club
All Day
Canteen
A static display of model aircrafts.
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DAFT ANTICS with County Sligo Circus School
1pm, 3pm, 4pm
Room B1050
Learn skills in juggling, acrobalance and circus skills with Daft Antics and, students from the circus school. Maximum of 25 places per show; Tickets at reception.
Flights of Fancy
All day
Room E1008
Build a scientific flying toy and launch it.
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IT Sligo Motorsport Club
All Day
Canteen
Engineering for safety.
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MADLAB – Make an electronic gadget.
12noon -5.30pm
Room E1006
Become an electronics engineer for the day; make your very own working electronic gadget.
Charges for kits: Beginners: €5/Advanced: €10. Only suitable for children over eight years of age
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Magic, Science or Mystery? Paul Mc Crory
12noon, 1:30pm, 3pm
Room E0011
Welcome to the mysterious world of the science magician where nothing is quite as it seems -where rods sing; water seems to disappear; tornadoes appear in bottles; and a brave volunteer sits on a chair of nails. This is magic with a difference – in this show the audience are encouraged to figure out the science behind the tricks.
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To Infinity and Beyond: the science of maths and juggling. James Soper
12.30pm , 2pm, 4pm
Room A0005
Spectacular juggling and balancing tricks are used together to show how forces work and combine when real circus performers show off their skills.
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Sligo Garda Siochana
Canteen
Members of the local Garda Siochana talk about Crime Prevention.
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Rude Mechanicals
All day
Library Seminar Room
Become an engineer! Make your own moving toy using simple tools and materials. With paper, wood, card and glue you can construct you own mini machine – it could be a crane or a car or a windmill….And the best thing is you get to take it home! Engineering has never been this much fun!
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Declan Holmes Science Ireland
12.15pm, 2pm, 4pm
Room B2002
Hands-on science shows, learn how physics really works.
ombine when real circus performers show off their skills.
Canteen will be open for lunch from 12 noon
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Science Week Lectures
Evening lectures in A0006 each evening, this room is next to Reception at the Main Entrance.
Monday 8th November
7.30 pm
Title: “Have Human Populations Been Affected by Impacts from Space”
Professor Mike Baillie, Department of Paleoecology, Queens University Belfast.
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Tuesday 9th November:
7.30pm
Title: From Cancer to Dirty Bombs: Research on DNA Repair
Dr Ciaran Morrison, Department of Biochemistry, NUI Galway
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Wednesday 10th November:
6pm – 7pm
Title: Archaeology Roadshow – Bringing unknown objects for archaeological analysis to the panel
Shirley Markley, IT Sligo
Wednesday 10th November
7.30 pm
Title: Sailing through the Past – Sligo’s Marine Archaeological Heritage
Auriel Robinson, Department of the Environment.
Wednesday 10th November
8.15 pm
Title: Ireland’s Caves: Exciting Archaeological Discoveries over the Last 100 years.
Dr Marion Dowd, IT Sligo.
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Thursday 11th– November:
8pm
BirdWatch Ireland
Title: Mountains in the Sea: A year on Tristan Da Cunha.
Brad Robson, Fermanagh Area Manager, Royal Society for Protection of Birds,
Thursday 11th– November:
7.30pm
Title: Are we alone ? The Hunt for Extraterrestrial Intelligence.
Professor Ian Morison, Gresham Professor of Astronomy & Member of Project Phoenix – The Search for Extraterrestrial Life.
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Other Science Week events
Thursday 11th of November: Knocknarea Arena
7.30pm
ISTA Secondary Schools Science Quiz
Sunday 14th of November:
12noon
The annual outing to Lissadell to see the Brent Geese, organised in conjunction with BirdWatch Ireland. Meet at Cartron Village Car park at 12noon. Bring a packed lunch and suitable clothing. For all ages.
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All the events are open to the general public and are free so please come along and support the speakers on the night. Further information can be found at www.scienceweek.ie and www.itsligo.ie