2004 Science Week Ireland Science Week Ireland 13

2004 Science Week Ireland “Science Week Ireland” 13 Nov. 2011 Briefing for Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education November 7 -14, 2004 16 th November 2011 Peter Brabazon, Director, Discover Science and Engineering Forfás, Wilton Park House, Dublin 2 tel +353 1 6073008, mob +353 87 2435 867, www. discover-science. ie peter. brabazon@forfas. ie

1. Discover Science and Engineering “National Integrated Awareness Programme” • Launched October 2003 • Funded by Dept. Jobs Enterprise and Innovation (€ 1. 9 M in 2011) and Managed by Forfás - Mission is to contribute to Ireland’s continued growth and development as an economy and as a society that has an active and informed interest and involvement in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) - Overall objectives are to increase the numbers of students studying the physical sciences, to promote a positive attitude to careers in STEM and to foster a greater understanding of science and its value to Irish society. - Target audience for DSE includes students at all levels, (with a particular focus on primary and secondary) their parents and teachers, as well as the wider public.

2. Science Week Ireland 2011 13 th to 20 th November www. scienceweek. ie • • Nationwide STEM Awareness Week Theme “The Chemistry of Life” 100 key partners (including 18 Corporate Partners) 500 events designed to engage young people 115, 000+ direct participants Events at Libraries, Factories, Higher Education etc. Support funding to regional events in Sligo, Galway, Mayo, Limerick, Cork and Waterford • Lecture Series in Dublin at Science Gallery, Belvedere College, National Gallery, RIA

3. DSE Summary of Activity 2010 Primary Science and Maths – 5, 000 teachers trained – 92% of primary schools – 250, 000 pupils – 400 Excellence Awards/yr Second Level Science – 200 secondary schools – 25 Tutors Science Week (115, 000 participants) - 100 partners (505 plus events) Working through Partnerships ( STEPS to Engineering, CEIA, BT Young Scientist, Intel – “Scifest”, Abbott, Science Gallery, ESA) Mathematics Initiatives – 6 + modules Leveraging 3 Euro for every 1 Euro

4. Additional Focus for 2011 !! • • • Support for Project Maths Additional Engineering Outreach Second level pilots and Careers Leveraging partner input at € 4 to € 1 from DSE Investigating more European programmes to add value for DSE • Engaging Industry to “open doors” to show young people what a career is like These areas were identified for additional focus/funding by: SMART Economy report ( 2008) Innovation Task Force (2009) Evaluation Report of Discover Science and Engineering (2009) Project Maths Implementation Support Group (June 2010) “Government for National Recovery 2011 – 2016” THANK YOU! www. discover-science. ie

www. discover-science. ie

2004 Science Week Ireland Other Background November 7 -14, 2004 Information Forfás, Wilton Park House, Dublin 2 tel +353 1 6073008, mob +353 87 2435 867, www. discover-science. ie

1. Young People’s Programmes supporting Curriculum Change Primary School Science Initiatives • Discover Primary Science with Maths Modules • Awards of Science and Maths Excellence • Green. Wave. ie in Europe from 2011 Secondary School Science Initiatives • Discover Sensors (Junior Cert. Science) • Scifest (with Intel and 14 Io. Ts) • Careers (Careers. Portal. ie and the DSE site My. Science. Career. ie)

2. Awareness Programmes supporting Careers and Jobs Events • Science Week ’ 10 - (13 Nov ‘ 11) – 505 events nationwide on third of previous budget • St. Patrick’s Festival(up to 3, 500 visitors to “Science Zone”) • BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition – Sponsored Maths Award and Maths Workshop • Main sponsor and partner of Maths & Engineering Weeks Communications • Internet – Usage increasing and part of new internet strategy – Partnering with Careersportal. ie from launch Apr. ‘ 08

3. Partnership • Strategic Partnerships – – – “STEPS to Engineering" of Engineers Ireland Cork Electronic Industry Association (CEIA) Scifest with Intel “Six cities” for Science Week, etc. Mallow Development Project Other • Exploration Station (Board Member) – Interactive Science Centre interpreting the brief of Discover Science and Engineering • Dublin City of Science 2012 - Chairman of Public Engagement Working Group and other support

Working through Partnerships Business • Science Week - Microsoft, Abbott, etc • Scifest - Intel plus BT, Abbott, local industry etc. • Young Scientist, - RDS • “On-line Careers” - ICT Ireland/Irish Software Association Institutional • Various shows - Science Gallery • City of Science - Chief Scientific Adviser • STEPS to Engineering - Engineers Ireland Educational - Teachers, incl Training Colleges - DES, NCCA (Science and Maths), NCTE - ISTA, INTO Commercial Contracts - Drury, AMAS, Xwerx, H 2, Begley etc

Common “Key Skills” for both Education & Business Partners • Information Processing – Incl. Recording, organising, summarising and integrating information • Critical and Creative thinking – Incl. Examining patterns and relationships, classifying and ordering information • Communicating – Incl. Engaging in dialogue, listening attentively and eliciting opinions, views and emotions • Working With Others – Incl. Working with others in a variety of contexts with different goals and purposes • Being Personally effective – Identifying, evaluating and achieving personal goals, including developing and evaluating actions plans (National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA))

4. Space and Mathematics Initiatives • European Space Education Resource Office (ESERO) – Teacher support. Incl Primary School modules – Using the existing DSE networks for delivery – “Our Place in Space” theme of Science Week 2010 • Maths – Primary School pilot-projects – Awareness Campaign – Maths Week plus new presenters – Support to others, particularly Maths Week & Project maths

Awareness Outputs • Discover Primary Science (DPS) a flagship project of DSE with 5, 00 teachers in 92% of primary schools and 135, 000 pupils benefiting annually • 2010 saw 128 pieces of DPS media – Combined circulation 2, 309, 667 • Sensors - 1, 000 in Sci. Fest Awards 2010, with all 14 Institutes of technology, funded by DSE and Intel. • April to June 2010 Sci. Fest received 117 placements – Combined circulation of 1, 630, 200 • Science Week is Ireland’s biggest annual promotion of science 115, 000 participants at 505 Science events (2010) involving 100 partner organisations. – “The Chemistry of Life” 13 th – 20 th November 2011 • Internet- 11 sites supporting each project area including all content, dissemination and registration etc. - Cost and effectiveness benefits

Science Week Media Results 2010 2009 2008 2007 Total 238 222 314 92 National Print 35 35 39 22 Radio 15 15 19 13 TV 7 5 5 11 181 167 211 46 Regional Print

Career Advice- The Information Gap 70% of 18 year olds are continuing into third level, as did 35% of their parents or 15% of grandparents www. discover-science. ie