6 year olds Evelyn Twomey and Abigail Horgan from Douglas at the launch of Cork Science Festival at APC Microbiome Ireland SFI Research Centre. Photo: Darragh Kane

Dust off your white lab coats

Grab your lab coats and your safety goggles, a festival all about science is rolling into town next month.

Organised by real life researchers, science educators and industry experts Cork Science Festival aims to increase engagement and interest in science subjects from a young age with an extra focus this year on hands on learning.

The programme will feature a packed calendar of free public events, which for the first time in years can be delivered fully live and in-person! There will be expert talks, industry open days, lab visits, workshops, shows and a school’s programme.

This year’s programme is jampacked with free public engagement events, behind the scenes science tours, action packed science shows, lab visits, at home activities, cool hands-on workshops, and fascinating expert talks taking place in venues and schools throughout Cork - all of which can be delivered in person for the first time in years.

Centres of science including UCC, MTU, and Tyndall will also open their doors to the public to showcase their scientific endeavours! One of the big highlights every year are the live family science shows, which will take place this year as part of the Celebrate Science family fun day on Sunday 13 November at the Western Gateway Building in UCC

The popular Lifetime Lab Primary Science Quiz is also set to return as part of Cork Science Festival and Science Week Ireland. The closing dates for schools to enter is Friday 21 October and the quiz itself will take place at Devere Hall in UCC on the 16 November.

Programme co-ordinator Mervyn Horgan said: “Cork Science Festival looking forward to bringing the wonder of discovery, exploration, and invention to the fore during Cork Science Week. We know it just takes one spark to ignite curiosity and creativity in the STEAM subjects so that is our goal again this year!

“We hope to inspire future astronauts, astrologers, chemists, physicists, biologists, engineers, and researchers! Through our diverse programme we invite everyone, young and old to come and experience science.”

Cork Science Festival is supported by Science Foundation Ireland and is part of Science Week Ireland. It’ll take place from 13-20 November. See corksciencefestival.ie.