SciFest
1 November 2009 Issue 1
What is SciFest? SciFest is a national festival of science organised regionally in collaboration with the Institutes of Technology. It is open to all second level students. The aim is to encourage a love of science through project-based learning and to provide more opportunities for students to present and display the results of their scientific investigations. The SciFest initiative is jointly funded by Intel and
SciFest IT Sligo Students investigating the properties of dry ice
Discover Science and Engineering as project
2009. This represented an increase of almost 25% in
partners.
the number of students participating compared with the previous year. The rapid increase in participation in
The SciFest Story
SciFest is a clear indication of the interest and
The inaugural SciFest was held in the Institute of
enthusiasm among students and teachers in the
Technology, Tallaght, Dublin, in 2006 and SciFest
investigative approach to teaching and learning
was launched nationwide in September 2007.
science.
Nine of the Institutes of Technology hosted SciFest fairs in 2008 and in 2009 all fourteen institutes
What happens at a SciFest Science Fair?
hosted a SciFest fair, reflecting the commitment of
In each IT the day begins with a short opening
the Institutes of Technology to the support and
ceremony, followed by some serious judging, lunch, a
promotion of science education. Also in 2009 the
lab tour, and a science talk and ends with a short
first SciFest exhibition in Northern Ireland was
prizegiving ceremony. Four main trophies were
held in the Millennium Forum in Derry.
awarded at each IT in 2009: Intel Best Project Award, Abbott Runner-up Best Project Award, BT Best
SciFest 2009 – Some Statistics
Communicator Award, and the Discover Sensors
In total 1,980 students from 162 schools exhibited
Award. Many other prizes were also given depending
836 projects nationwide in SciFest
on the number of entries and the individual IT. All the students received a participation certificate.
Win an iPod – Science Week 2009 SciFest Crossword Competition Download a copy from the SciFest website www.scifest.ie
2 Discover Sensors Award www.discoversensors.ie This award is sponsored
Blog your way to a SciFest Award www.projectblogger.ie Teachers can set up
by the Discover Sensors
blog accounts for
project and is open to
themselves
projects in any area of
their students on
Science
Project
or
Technology out
the
SciFest
and
Blogger.
where the investigation involves substantial use of
Check
area
on
one or more digital sensors for recording
www.projectblogger.ie to see examples of last
experimental data. Students applying for the
year’s SciFest student blogs. This year, Project
Discover Sensors Award must keep a blog of their
Blogger will have a new ‘Ask the Scientist’
project work on Project Blogger.
section, where students can ask an expert for advice and help with their SciFest project.
Who Can Enter SciFest? All students who are attending a second-level school in the catchment area of the Institute of Technology are eligible to enter. Each student may enter only one project but a school may enter as many projects as they wish. Entries will be judged in the following categories: Age Category
– Junior (1st and 2nd Year), Intermediate (3rd and 4th Year) and Senior (5th and 6th Year)
Project Type
– Individual and Group (Max. 3 students per group – all group members must be in attendance at the exhibition)
Project Category – Physical Sciences, Life Sciences and Technology
Entry Date The closing date for receipt of entry forms is Friday 12 March 2010 Sheila Porter (SciFest National Coordinator)
Log on to www.scifest.ie
SciFest IR2-1-T22, Intel Ireland, Leixlip, Co Kildare Tel. 01 606 8949/0863796143 Email: sheilax.m.porter@intel.com
Gold Sponsors
SciFest is jointly funded by Intel and Discover Science and Engineering as project partners