• Inform teachers of the exciting and innovative work at the frontiers of physics that is being carried out in Ireland

• Provide teachers with examples of simple and inexpensive physics demonstrations

• Inform teachers of the latest developments and resources available in physics teaching

The conference is sponsored by the Institute of Physics in Ireland Education Group, the Professional Development Service for Teachers, the Department of Experimental Physics of NUI Maynooth, and Discover Science and Engineering.

Main themes

Themes during the day include:

• “Physics on the Go” – Using the iPod as a pocket laboratory

• News of the new European Space Education Resource Office. ESERO-Ireland

• The Professional Development Service for Teachers

• Project Maths and the physics connection

• The ESA Herschel Space Telescope

• The Planck Satellite

• A review of Leaving Cert 2010 exam papers

Early registration is advised – by Friday 17 September 2010 at the latest.

Learn more

For further information, check out the Department of Experimental Physics NUIM website, or  email creidhe[dot]osullivan[at]nuim[dot]ie

Leaving Certificate aged 15+

This interactive show will explore motion, forces and energy using large scale demonstration props and volunteers.

The key emphasis of the show is on using everyday examples and apparatus to highlight and emphasise the importance of many of the mechanical activities explored in physics and engineering today.

Students will be taken on a magical and entertaining mystery tour where they will be introduced to historical physicists and the demonstrations for which they are remembered.

Students will also learn about to Scientific Sue’s own slant on rocket travel, personal damage protection, weaponised weather systems and other mad alternative approaches to the teaching of mechanics.

The RDS Science Live Demonstration Lecture Series takes science out of the classroom and focuses on the interactive, practical elements of a subject in order that the students gain as much from the experience as possible.

Junior Certificate aged 12-15

What is DNA and what does it look like? What does it do inside our cells? – DNA is the ‘blueprint of life’ and is located inside the nucleus of every living cell. We inherit our DNA from our parents and will one day pass it on to our children.

In this interactive workshop students will assemble molecular models of DNA and will also get the opportunity to meet the super stringy molecule in person by extracting DNA from fruits and vegetables.

The RDS Science Live Demonstration Lecture Series takes science out of the classroom and focuses on the interactive, practical elements of a subject in order that the students gain as much from the experience as possible.

Junior Certificate aged 12-15

Do bowling balls float? How could you figure it out using maths? This demonstration lecture will dispel the perception that maths is difficult and boring!

For many students maths is just a jumble of numbers and alien concepts; for others it is a series of interesting patterns, sequences and a source of fascination.

This hands-on overview of quirky numbers, predictable primes, fascinating fractions, interesting tables, amazing anagrams, super squares, and perplexing problems will awaken an interest in mathematics.

The RDS Science Live Demonstration Lecture Series takes science out of the classroom and focuses on the interactive, practical elements of a subject in order that the students gain as much from the experience as possible.

Senior Primary aged 10-12

This is a hands-on workshop that will use the theme of Friction, Forces and Motion to allow participants to develop an interest and enthusiasm for their own bodies and the environment which surrounds them.

Participants will be introduced to the ways scientists work and will conduct simple experiments. Through the experimental activities, students have the opportunity to work scientifically and develop curiosity and problem solving skills.

The RDS Science Live Demonstration Lecture Series takes science out of the classroom and focuses on the interactive, practical elements of a subject in order that the students gain as much from the experience as possible.

Junior Certificate aged 12-15

The Nano Show is a combination of presentation and interactive demonstrations which will make science come alive and showcase the careers in this area of cutting-edge technology. Students will explore the amazing world of atoms, going on a journey from human scale to the atomic scale.

They will discover the science behind nanotechnology from better medicines to faster computers, from self-cleaning windows to shoes that stop your feet from smelling!

The RDS Science Live Demonstration Lecture Series takes science out of the classroom and focuses on the interactive, practical elements of a subject in order that the students gain as much from the experience as possible.

Senior Primary Aged 10 – 12

You wake up in the middle of the night, there is a deafening sound, your bed is vibrating, books are falling off shelves and then you realise – it’s an EARTHQUAKE! What causes earthquakes to happen and do we get earthquakes in Ireland? How do scientists measure earthquakes and what can we learn from them? What effect do earthquakes have on people’s lives?

This interactive workshop discusses these questions and gives participants the opportunity to build a simple seismometer and create and measure their own earthquake.

The RDS Science Live Demonstration Lecture Series takes science out of the classroom and focuses on the interactive, practical elements of a subject in order that the students gain as much from the experience as possible.

Leaving Certificate Aged 15+
In nature only the animals with the best adaptations survive. Adaptations are any behavioural or physical characteristics of an animal that help it to survive in its environment. These characteristics fall into three main categories: body parts, body coverings, and behaviours and different animals have many different ways of trying to stay alive. This workshop will examine the adaptations of each group of animals – fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals and discuss the implications of these for the ecosystem.

The RDS Science Live Demonstration Lecture Series takes science out of the classroom and focuses on the interactive, practical elements of a subject in order that the students gain as much from the experience as possible.

As 2010 sees the bicentenary of his birth, this exhibition will highlight his leading role in solving critical scientific questions.

Mallet is regarded as the founder of seismology – the study of earthquakes.

Among his many achievements, his pioneering experiments on Killiney beach during the 1840s showed for the first time how sound waves can shake the ground and cause catastrophic earthquakes.

The exhibition will also illustrate the enduring legacy that the Mallet family’s iron foundry business left on the Irish landscape.

The family firm supplied ironwork for Ireland’s railway system, the swing bridge over the River Shannon, and the iron railings surrounding Trinity College Dublin.

The commemorative exhibition is supported by the Heritage Council, the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies and the Irish Times.

Opening hours of the exhibition at the RDS: Monday to Friday, 10am-5pm.

Learn more

Read more on Science.ie about Robert Mallet’s scientific achievements

From the site: “It is now 10 years since the Irish Government’s decision to establish SFI and commence providing significant investment in science and engineering research, supporting people and ideas.  In line with this, SFI would like to celebrate some of the best ideas across the range of research that SFI has supported over the past decade.”

The deadline for summissions is 20 September and to register to attend it is 17 September. SFI is also seeking nominations for its Researcher of the Year 2010, won last year by Professor Luke O’Neill, who also won the Boyle Medal.