Issuu

EZINE

SciFest Volume 10, Number 1 September 2018

INSIDE THIS ISSUE SciFest 2018 - A Brief Report

SCIFEST 2018

SciFest Welcomes New Project Manager

SciFest 2018 National Final

SciFest Launches New Website

SciFest Announces Two New Awards

SciFest STEM School Award SciFest STEM Outreach Award SciFest - A Module for TY

Hosting a TY SciFest@School

Gaisce

Partners and Sponsors

SCIFEST CONTINUES TO GO FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH SciFest 2018 – The numbers •

10,000+ Students

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92 Science Fairs

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700+ Judges

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660 Teachers

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299 Schools

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29 Counties

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4200+ Projects

Did you know that more than 60,000 students have participated in SciFest since it was launched nationwide in 2008?

SCIFEST 2018: A BRIEF REPORT SciFest 2018 has been another excellent year with more than 10,000 students and 660 teachers from almost 300 schools participating. Across all levels of the programme a total of 92 SciFest STEM fairs took place. On the international stage the overall winner from the SciFest 2017 national final was awarded a first-place award at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2018 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; he received a cash prize and will have an asteroid named after him. This is SciFest’s ninth major award in the seven years participating in Intel ISEF. The winners of the runnerup award at the 2017 national final attended the Berlin Long Night

Intel ISEF 2018: Aaron Hannon

of Science in June. Their trip included a visit to the Reichstag building and lunch in the Irish Embassy. The students also presented their project to a group of German students who were prizewinners and participants in Germany’s youth science prize Jugend Forscht. SciFest@TCPID 2018 took place in the Science Gallery on 31 May. TCPID (The Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities) is situated within the School of Education in Trinity College and aims to promote the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in education and society. The day was a resounding success and SciFest@TCPID is now to become an integral part of the TCPID programme.

Berlin Long Night of Science 2018: Dylan Moloney and Thomas Curtin with the Irish Embassy staff and teacher, Donal Enright

In April SciFest welcomed a second group of doctoral students from the University of Southern California (USC). They spent a week in Ireland studying the impact of SciFest, particularly in relation to the development of 21stcentury skills. They were also interested in the influence of globalisation on Irish education. During the week they visited 13 schools where they interviewed principals, teachers and students. They also interviewed a range of industry representatives and other stakeholders, including the Chair of SciFest, Professor Brian MacCraith, Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor and the Tánaiste Simon Coveney. At the end of the week they attended SciFest@CIT 2018. The school year ended with the annual meeting of the SciFest@College Regional Coordinators which took place on 14 June in LIT. Two students from Coláiste Chiaráin in Croom, Co Limerick were invited to talk about their experience of participating in SciFest. Both students spoke of their increased confidence and how much they had learned about STEM and STEM career options. With such a positive and enthusiastic report on the quality and value of the programme there is no doubt that SciFest has become an important part of STEM education in second-level schools. 2

SCIFEST WELCOMES NEW PROJECT MANAGER We are delighted to announce the appointment of Hugo Rowsome as project manager of SciFest. Hugo studied Biomedical Science in UCD before completing an MA in History in 2013. Succeeding this, he went on to teach Biology and History in Blackrock College for 5 years. He has been involved in SciFest since 2014 and has had students participating in SciFest at school, regional and national level. Hugo attended the annual SciFest regional coordinators meeting which took place in LIT in June. He can be seen in the photograph above seated on the right.

Finnian Brady Halmschlag and Ruth Daly, Coláiste Chiaráin, Croom, Co. Limerick speaking at the regional coordinators meting in LIT in June and participating with other students from Coláiste Chiaráin at SciFest@LIT Moylish 2018

SCIFEST 2018 NATIONAL FINAL STUDENTS COMPETE TO REPRESENT IRELAND AT THE INTEL INTERNATIONAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR (ISEF) 2019 IN PHOENIX, ARIZONA

The SFI Best Project Award winners from the 16 regional SciFest@College 2018 science fairs will participate in a national final competition on 9 November 2018 in Dublin. As in previous years a number of the Abbott Runner-up Best Project Award winners will also be invited to participate in the SFI Best Project Award winner, SciFest@DIT 2018, Emma Babos, Jesus and Mary College, Goatstown Road, Dublin 14 with her teacher Marc Paul Lynn

national final. Following the completion of the regional SciFest@College 2018 science fairs the runners-up were invited to submit their project report books to SciFest by 28 September. A panel of judges appointed by SciFest will assess the projects, based on the report books, and will select the projects to go forward to participate in the national final. The top prize on the day is the SciFest 2018 Science Foundation Ireland Intel ISEF Award. This consists of a trophy and an allexpenses-paid trip for the winning student(s) (accompanied by their teacher) to represent Ireland at Intel ISEF in Phoenix, Arizona in May 2019. A competition for the Boston Scientific Medical Devices Grand

SFI Best Project Award winners, SciFest@CIT 2018, Tony O'Halloran and Aidan Mamo Cooney, Coláiste An Spioraid Naoimh, Bishopstown, Co. Cork with Jackie O’Dowd, SFI

Award will also take place at the national final. The winner/s of this award will be presented with a trophy and an award to the value of €500. The runner/s-up on the day will receive a trophy and an allexpenses-paid trip (accompanied by their teacher) to the Berlin Long Night of Science in June 2019. This award is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Abbott Runner-up Best Project Award winners, SciFest@DCU 2018 Chloe Johnston and Tara Kelly, Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin with Sinéad Hickey, Abbott and Prof. Brian MacCraith, President, DCU

Boston Scientific Medical Devices Award winner, SciFest@AIT 2018, Darragh Elliott, Marist College, Cannonsfield, Athlone, Co. Westmeath with his teacher Aine Boland and Patricia Johnson, Boston Scientific 4

SCIFEST TO LAUNCH NEW WEBSITE SciFest is stepping up its leadership role in the promotion of STEM in second level schools by launching a new website featuring original resources, news reports, help tools, video content, online entry facilities and lots more.

NEW SCIFEST STEM SCHOOL AWARDS Designed by BottleTop Media the new website will allow for

a more

interactive experience and easy to find2018 information. AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SCIFEST NATIONAL FINALISTS TO COMMUNICATE THEIR FINDINGS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND TO WIN AN AWARD will go live early in September The website A sneak preview of the new website

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Great for developing a wide range of skills in one project such as scientific literacy, numeracy, ICT, communication.

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Very positive. A perfect module for TY.

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It was excellent way of allowing students to really put the nature of science into practice.

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Already have first years planning their SciFest projects for next year.

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It was good for the pupil to see each other’s work and to see the standard that can be reached.

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Prepares students for new CBAs in junior cycle. Gives all students the opportunity to compete in a science competition. Comments from Teachers, SciFest@School 2018 Online Evaluation Questionnaires 5

SCIFEST ANNOUNCES TWO NEW AWARDS SCIFEST STEM SCHOOL AWARD SciFest is delighted to announce the introduction of a ‘SciFest STEM School Award’. This award will recognise the support and commitment of school principals, teachers and leadership teams in second-level schools who, in collaboration with SciFest, have implemented the SciFest@School STEM fair programme. The ‘SciFest STEM School Award’ sets a standard for all second-level schools in Ireland to achieve best practice and to empower young people to recognise the value of STEM in their everyday lives and future career choices. The aim of the award is to raise awareness of STEM education in schools and to encourage students through participation in SciFest to build on their 21st century skills of communication, presentation, collaboration and creativity and engage in self-directed inquiry-based learning.

What is SciFest! Inclusive Free Accessible Local Regional National

To qualify for the award a school must be registered with SciFest and have hosted five SciFest@School STEM fairs. External judges should be employed and the fairs must operate under the SciFest Guidelines. Students and teachers must be aware of these guidelines before they begin projects.

10,000 Students

Schools qualifying for the award will receive a framed certificate and an official SciFest STEM School Award digital badge which can be posted on the school website.

660 Teachers

Twenty-one schools have already qualified for the award and will be presented with their certificate and digital badge at their SciFest@School 2018/19 STEM fair. A further fourteen schools have hosted four SciFest@School fairs and will receive their SciFest STEM school award on completion of their fifth event.

300 Schools

SCIFEST STEM OUTREACH AWARD Finalists at the SciFest 2018 National Final will be invited to make a 2-minute video describing their project. The videos will be posted online and the general public will be invited to vote for their favourite video. The video with the most votes will be presented with an award at the national final. 6

700 Judges The biggest science fair programme in Ireland!

SCIFEST - A MODULE FOR TY SCIFEST ENCOURAGES TY STUDENTS TO:

• Engage in research and inquiry • Further develop 21st century skills • Get actively involved and learn more about STEM and STEM careers (Smart Futures Career Talks at majority of regional fairs) • Make an educated choice of a STEM subject for Leaving Certificate • Read more, think logically, and practice report writing • Be more confident with maths, statistics and data analysis, computer science, and graphic arts, as well as scientific methodology

HOSTING A TY SCIFEST@SCHOOL Hosting a SciFest@School STEM fair for TY students raises the profile of STEM in the school and gives all TY students the opportunity to showcase their creativity in coming up with innovative solutions to real-world problems. There are lots of resources available on the SciFest website www.scifest.ie, including a downloadable ‘Science by Inquiry’ TY module. ‘The quality of judging and courtesy exhibited to the students at SciFest is second to none. Irrespective of their project, their background, they are treated to an amazing experience, one which features in our school calendar each year.’ Donal Enright, Desmond College, Newcastle West, Co. Limerick

DID YOU KNOW? SCIFEST IS A GAISCE AWARD CHALLENGE PARTNER TY students participating in a SciFest STEM fair can use their participation as the ‘Personal Skill’ element of their Gaisce Award. TY students involved in organising SciFest events can use their activities to meet the 'Community Involvement' element of their Gaisce award.

SCIFEST@SCHOOL 2018 FIRST YEARS: ST COLMAN'S COMMUNITY COLLEGE, YOUGHAL RD, MIDLETON, CO. CORK

SciFest

is supported by The Institutes of Technology, DCU and St Mary’s College, Derry

PLEASE CHECK THE WEBSITE REGULARLY FOR UPDATES Closing date for receipt of entries to SciFest@College 2018 is: Friday 8 March 2019 except in the case of SciFest@NorthWest in St Mary's College, Derry where the closing date is Friday 24 May 2019.