I'm a STEM engagement event - Ireland
Year Awarded
2021
Amount
€36,750
- Organisation:Gallomanor Communications
- Location:national
Project Summary
I’m a Scientist (IAS), I’m an Engineer (IAE) and I’m a Mathematician (IAM) are online, student-led STEM enrichment activities. They connect school students with scientists/engineers/mathematicians through real time, text-based chats. Other elements include follow up questions, profiles and voting that determines which scientist wins €500. The activity is informal and conversational throughout. The elements combine to support students’ science capital.
Online STEM outreach removes geographic inequalities. Students get the same experience whether they are in Dublin or Donegal.
Our activities 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 STEM professionals 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.
The project is flexible, efficient and has been robustly evaluated with clear evidence for its efficacy.
This grant will fund activity for at least 3,600 students and 80 STEM professionals in 2022. We propose 3 zones of varying size, running for 4 weeks each, to increase the flexibility of the activity.