Midlands Science Festival goes virtual

Pictured above: Ethan from Athlone getting ready for the Science of Star Wars event which takes place online during Science Week.

For the first time in its eight-year history, the Midlands Science Festival will be accessible - from November 8-15 - as a week-long, immersive digital event as part of national Science Week.

The core theme for Science Week 2020, now in its 25th year, is ‘Choosing our Future’ - focusing on how science can improve our lives in the future and in the present.

This year’s festival offering will enable schools, teachers, parents and people of all ages to get involved virtually and it will deliver engaging talks, interactive workshops and presentations in a new and innovative format.

In a time of increasing unease, the Midlands Science Festival team is conscious that it is more important than ever to continue to provide activities to continue to engage young people, build optimism and help them to explore science.

CEO of Midlands Science, Jackie Gorman said: “The theme this year will explore how science can help us to make positive choices that will impact the environment, our health, and our quality of life. We took the time to evaluate the situation as an organisation before deciding that a virtual festival really was the best way forward for Science Week 2020. It allows us to provide most of the events that we had already planned for our audiences, in a safe and secure manner."

"This year we are inviting people to step inside a free, virtual science sphere to join top science communicators, workshop presenters, industry experts, science ambassadors and more! This pandemic has really brought an awareness to the way in which we all work, learn and consume information. Throughout Science Week there will be a variety of ways for you to get involved through events, social media and much more," she continued, adding that people can use and follow #BelieveInScience.

The Midlands Science Festival will this year celebrate science in the Midlands in a number of different ways. Some of the key highlights will include an inspiring journey into outer space with Dr Niamh Shaw, informative public talks on the ‘Science of Resilience’ and the ‘Science of Skin’ which will be available online. In addition, the exciting world of Star Wars will be delved into with Jon Chase.

Furthermore, a range of high-level, virtual career talks will be provided for secondary schools in conjunction with industry and academic partners, which it is hoped will encourage more students to consider science as a future course and career option.

Dr Craig Slattery, Midland Science Chairperson, commented: “Sadly, we have seen highly influential public figures around the world openly attempt to undermine or discredit valid scientific information to service their own agendas. Now, more so than ever, delivering authentic, exciting and informative public science events to the people of the Midlands, young and old, is of the utmost importance. Under normal circumstances, Midlands Science would organise over 100 face-to-face events during the Midlands Science Festival with a combined audience of over 10,000 people each year. Naturally this year is going to be very different but we are confident that the enjoyment and inspiration on offer will not be.”

This year also includes an exploration into Viking Heritage with the National Museum of Ireland and a family Discovery Day, which will see the return of some of much-loved activities such Dale Treadwell’s Dinosaur Show, Anyone 4 Science, the Exploration Dome, The Reptile Zoo, Ironman Engineering and Dr Mindflip’s Ultimate Learning Experience.

More information including the full schedule of events, speaker line-ups, and how to register will be announced in the coming weeks.