Science Fest Open Day is a big hit as visitors get to grips with STEM
CURIOUS MINDS enjoyed a day of exploration and education at Wexford County Council for the showcase event of the Wexford Science Festival.
The council opened its doors on Saturday, November 17 from 10.45 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a day of science-related stalls and discussions.
Highlights included a talk and interactive discussion on Humanology with Luke O’Neill, Professor of Biochemistry at Trinity College, Dublin; a Super Cool Show with London Science Museum where the exhibitors demonstrated physics and how items physically transformed with temperature change; and It Doesn’t Add Up show focusing on maths and maths tricks; a Feel the Force show with the London Science Museum demonstrating how force worked and distorted; and a science circus show that entertained the whole family.
There were stalls dotted through The Street area of the council, highlighting various aspects of science and technology including robotics, 3D printing, coding, Calmast, coastwatch, energy, agricultural science, and marine dimensions.
A steady flow of people made their through the hall throughout the day.
The aim of WexSci was to promote science, technology, engineering, and maths (STEM) through a week-long innovative festival, with a huge range of events in libraries, community and family resource centres, and in local schools and colleges.
Wexford had been identified by research from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) to be low intervention county in terms of STEM participation and that prompted the establishing of the science festival.
Part funded by SFI, the week long festival was designed to interest the amateur and the professional, the curious and all wishing to consider a career in science.
Above all, teaching people, of all ages, of the importance of understanding the relevance of STEM in everyday life was key.