I'm a Scientist and I'm an Engineer Ireland
Year Awarded
2020
Amount
€38,000
- Organisation:Gallomanor Communications
- Audience:Primary Students, Transition Year Students
- Format:Informal Education
- Location:national
Project Summary
I’m a Scientist (IAS) and I’m an Engineer (IAE) are online, student-led STEM enrichment activities. They connect school students with scientists/engineers through real time, text-based chats. Other elements include questions, profiles and voting that determine which scientist wins €500. The activity is informal and conversational throughout. They combine to support students’ science capital.
Online STEM outreach removes geographic inequalities. Students get the same experience whether they are in Dublin or Donegal.
IAS/IAE give all students a chance to engage. Every young person has an equal voice on the site. Quiet and shy students take part as vociferously as the students who always ask questions in class.
Students see scientists as ‘normal’ and see science as personally relevant. They start to see it’s something ‘for them’, encouraging them to consider STEM careers.
Scientists gain improvements to communication skills. They report increased motivation to do more public engagement.
We expect the Covid-19 pandemic may disrupt schools in 2021. Teachers will need science enrichment activities to be as flexible and accessible as possible. This proposal allows STEM engagement to continue during school closures.
We’re asking for funding for activities for at least 3,000 students and 60 scientists/engineers in 2021. We propose 3 extra large zones running for 4 weeks each to increase the flexibility of the activity.
Strong demand for IAS and IAE continues with more demand than capacity from teachers and scientists.