From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Department of Education
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Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, and Minister for Education, Norma Foley, have today announced an investment in 47 projects aimed at improving public understanding of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM).
The €3.7 million funding will be focused on encouraging diversity and inclusion in STEM, while also targeting a wide range of ages including young children, teens and adults.
Announcing the funding, Minister Harris said:
“I am delighted to announce today the 47 projects receiving funding through the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Discover Programme.
“These projects will have an invaluable impact, starting conversations about the role of STEM in society and inspiring our young people to explore careers in these areas.
“Through initiatives such as the SFI Discover Programme, we must support the public to have access to, and understand, the issues that impact our collective future, and the role science and technology can play in providing solutions. I wish all the recipients every success in the rollout of their projects.”
Speaking of the projects co-funded by the Department of Education, Minister Foley said:
“We are pleased to collaborate with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science by supporting five projects that will receive funding through the SFI Discover Programme.
“These projects are designed to grow and encourage participation in STEM education and public engagement, inspiring our young people to explore STEM roles in the future. I want to congratulate all of the individuals and teams involved in their work to date on these projects.”
The awards will see a number of projects supported including:
This programme encourages transition year students to evaluate the social, ethical and privacy implications of artificial intelligence (AI), and consider the exciting range of careers available in AI. The workshops are currently being offered to 20 schools in disadvantaged communities via the DCU Access Service.
This cultural heritage/STEM initiative brings oral testimony and scientific commentary together in a collaboratively produced exploration of Irish experiences of infectious diseases, public health and vaccination.
This project will provide students, teachers and the public with new activities based on the area of electrochemistry. Electrochemistry is an important part of our modern lives with many life-changing applications e.g. hydrogen production, batteries, touchscreen, cardiac defibrillators, glucose sensors, alcohol breath testers and gel electrophoresis for COVID-19 testing.
This project involves the design, delivery and the dissemination of a Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) graphic novel that focuses on the importance of student voice. This graphic novel will contain a rich tapestry of short stories that embody a snapshot of humankind's experiences with STEM from the everyday to the miraculous. This project is co-funded by the Department of Education.
Commenting on the announcement, Professor Philip Nolan, Director General of SFI, said:
“The SFI Discover Programme is a key part of our education and public engagement strategy and aims to grow opportunities for dialogue between the research community and the public.
“Our research improves people’s lives and we can only do that if we work in partnership with the public at all stages of the research process. The programme also aims to improve diversity and inclusion in science, broadening participation geographically and amongst less represented voices in research.
“STEM is such an exciting area to study and work in and we want to make it more accessible to a wide range of people. We are looking forward to working with these fantastic, creative education and engagement programmes.”
(*)Regional or national initiative with up to 2-year funding.
| Project title | Organisation | Award amount | Co-fund | |
| AI in My Life: Extending Transition Year Deliberative Workshops Nationally | Dublin City University | €49,955 | ||
| Catching Stories: Testimony of Infectious Disease in Ireland | University College Cork | €48,488 | ||
| Citizens’ Think-Ins: A Multi-Stakeholder Approach To Community Engagement With STEM | Dublin City University | €49,681 | ||
| *CS_LINC - Bridging the gap to Formal Computer Science Education | Technological University Dublin | €265,853 | Department of Education | |
| *Current Chemistry Investigators (CCI) | Trinity College Dublin | €235,696 | ||
| *Cyber Skills Careers Munster Technological University | €291,811 | |||
| Data Bytes: a data science programme and showcase for TY students | National College of Ireland | €35,690 | ||
| *Debunking the Myths: The Science Behind Our Sexual Health | Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland | €274,348 | ||
| Dublin Maker - 10th Anniversary | University College Dublin | €50,000 | ||
| Engaging Families in STEM Programme | Kildare County Council | €9,000 | Department of Education | |
| Engineering NorthWest | Institute of Technology, Sligo | €50,000 | ||
| *Fernhill Park & Gardens Augmented Reality Project | Dun Laoghaire Institute Of Art Design and Technology | €52,349 | ||
| Fiosracht in the Classroom - The STEMPATHY Journey | Technological University Dublin | €47,028 | ||
| *Gaelscoileanna STEM Programme | Royal Dublin Society | €269,359 | ||
| Guardians of the Future: Developing Parents’* Climate Science Literacy | Dublin City University | €49,994 | ||
| Happy Maths, Fighting Maths Anxiety with Game-based Learning | Technological University Dublin | €52,059 | ||
| iAdapt: Expanding engagement with adaptation planning through Climate Smart | Trinity College Dublin | €46,207 | ||
| I'm a STEM engagement event – Ireland | Gallomanor Communications | €36,750 | ||
| Inspiring children in STEM for the future | Kildare County Council | €4,000 | ||
| Jellyfish Fantastic: Increasing Ocean Literacy through Creative Design and Participation | University College Cork | €49,340 | ||
| Little Big Questions | University College Dublin | €53,399 | ||
| Manufacturing in the classroom: sustainability and the circular economy | University College Dublin | €25,100 | ||
| *Maths4All Professional Learning Communities | Dublin City University | €160,000 | ||
| *Muinin Catalyst Sustainable STEAM Future-ready teaching and learning for resilience | University College Dublin | €299,851 | Department of Education | |
| MY -Sci: Mental health promotion in Youth through Science | University of Limerick | €47,337 | ||
| Pytch: A Bridge from Block to Text programming | Trinity College Dublin | €49,730 | ||
| RCSI Junior Researcher Programme | RCSI, University of Medicine and Health Sciences | €24,733 | ||
| ReelLIFE SCIENCE Video Competition | National University of Ireland, Galway | €30,894 | ||
| Samhail | National University of Ireland, Galway | €50,000 | ||
| *SCI:COM | Whipsmart Media | €64,000 | ||
| Science hub at Learning Hub Limerick | Learning Hub Limerick Ltd | €50,000 | ||
| Science in Action for Infant Learning (SAIL) | Dublin City University | €47,188 | ||
| Spaces In-Between | University College Dublin | €49,957 | Department of Education | |
| Sssh! @ The Library (STEM, STEAM & Space Hub Project) | Niamh Shaw Ltd | €38,228 | ||
| STEP Through the Looking Glass: Stories Told of Experimental Processes | University College Dublin | €49,999 | ||
| *Sustainable Space | Cosmos Education Ltd T/A Blackrock Castle Observatory | €236,390 | Department of Education | |
| Technology in my Life | Trinity College Dublin | €49,306 | ||
| Teen-Turn | Teen-Turn | €50,000 | ||
| The Science of Us | University of Limerick | €49,821 | ||
| To Be a Machine (Version 2.0) | Dead Centre Theatre | €49,200 | ||
| Tree Explorers 2 | University College Cork | €49,258 | ||
| TRY FIVE (Biology, Engineering, Chemistry, Electronics & Microscopy) | Technological University Dublin | €49,230 | ||
| Uiscope 2022: Device-Enabled Citizen Science Project on Water Quality | Tyndall National Institute | €50,000 | ||
| Unboxing Manufacturing: STEM for all at Our Lady’s Hospital School | Irish Manufacturing Research | €46,276 | ||
| Undergraduate Research Opportunity Programme (UROP) | National University of Ireland, Galway | €50,000 | ||
| *Visioneers - A Smart Cities Education Programme | Trinity College Dublin | €37,860 | ||
| *Wild Connections: The Flora and Fauna of Ireland | The Birr Scientific and Heritage Foundation €74,000 |