Virtual fun for Cork Science Festival

The Cork Science Festival is back next month but it will go online this year with a huge selection of free events for all ages. Called Shaping our Future, the Cork Science Festival will run from 8 to 15 November. 

There is a busy online programme of free public engagement events, open days, science tours, talks, exhibitions, shows, workshops and school events. Organisers expect more than 10,000 people to participate.

Robot building workshops will be taking place, as will a virtual STEAM kite making workshop while kits will be delivered to schools taking part.

There will also be a virtual workshop introducing children to science, what science is and how science affects our daily lives. Another highlight will be a live reading from the Johnny Magory series of books by author Emma Jane Leeson.

Mervyn Horgan, Cork Science Festival Co-ordinator, said: “This is a Cork Science Festival like no other this year and we are very excited to be back. Cork Science Week is truly a magical festival and a celebration of science events. We invite everyone, young and old to come and experience our online program of free public engagement events, science tours, talks, exhibitions, shows, workshops and school events.

“Cork Science Festival is a main partner of Science Week Ireland, one of the largest STEM engagement events in the Irish science calendar. Our team represents Cork's best in research, education and industry across science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics.”

Also on the schedule is a Virtual Climate Hack, which will provide students with an opportunity to investigate the energy demand in their area and explore potential decarbonisation options (moving away from fossil fuels to reduce carbon emissions), as well as an opportunity to ask experts about their proposed solutions.

With the workshops delivered online, children can also discover the world of microbes through Microbe Origami with APC Microbiome Ireland. An electricity workshop will also feature with a show called 'Up in Smoke' with Professor Baloney. This is a virtual science show with an emphasis on showing how much fun experimental science is. A mix of laughter, experiments, and a puppet professor will bring the material alive.

Fantastic DNA in a Box will encourage kids to work like a molecular biologist and extract DNA from cells in their kitchens with everyday life items such as hand sanitiser.

The Cork Science Festival is supported by Science Foundation Ireland, and is part of Science Week Ireland.