Kilkenny Science Festival

Kilkenny Science Festival took place from 7th-14th November 2021

Coordinated by Calmast STEM Engagement Centre, Waterford Institute of Technology in partnership with schools, industry, Kilkenny County Council and other groups. It is sponsored by SFI as one of the regional science festivals for Science Week 2020.

enquiries: calmast@wit.ie

Science in Kilkenny

STEM at the Olympics

STEM at the Olympics

Science, technology, engineering and maths are all around us in our daily life and sports are no different. As part of Tokyo 2020, Calmast created the ‘STEM at the Olympics’ series, to highlight the incredible range of science, technology, engineering and maths present throughout the games.

** Use the forward and backwards arrows to check out our series**

Cruinniú na nÓg: Kilkenny

Cruinniú na nÓg: Kilkenny

Developed in partnership with Creative Ireland and Kilkenny county council, the ‘Kilkenny Automata Workshop’ explores the world of animation to create their own automata from simple household waste materials.

An automata is a cardboard mechanism that can move through the pushing and pulling of simple switches and mechanisms. It is a playful way to explore simple machines while creating live sculptures.

Watch our Automata videos below.

Download your free personalised Kilkenny Automato template HERE

Find more details HERE

STEMreach Sustainability; Our Future, Your Story

STEMreach Sustainability; Our Future, Your Story focuses on sustainability and biodiversity using the medium of digital storytelling. Through engineering, positive action, conservation, science and creating a personal and communal culture of change, the programme aims to create awareness and empowers students to think creatively and critically about the world around them. It culminates with Transition Year students who showcase a video and activity they have produced to communicate a message about sustainability to their local primary school and community.

Students from Presentation Secondary School and The Loreto Secondary School Kilkenny took part in 20/21.

Use the left and right arrows to check out a selection of videos produced by this year’s Kilkenny TY students in 20/21

Kilkenny Science Festival: The Science Behind Ireland’s Longest Zipline

Kilkenny Science Festival: The Science Behind Ireland’s Longest Zipline

Castlecomer Discovery Park is home to Ireland’s longest ziplines. How long is it? How fast is it? How do you slow down? Can I fall off? Why does weight matter? Why are some faster than others? What about the weather? At 308 metres long and 35 metres at its highest point, we reveal the science behind Ireland’s longest zipline and the importance of STEM concepts such as velocity, mass, acceleration, gravity, friction, force and tension.

Bealtaine Living Earth Festival

The Bealtaine Living Earth Festival celebrates nature, local heritage and sustainability in the South East of Ireland.

The festival took place virtually 15 – 23 May 2021. Now in its 17^th year of existence, it is coordinated by Calmast, Waterford Institute of Technology’s STEM engagement centre. The festival brings groups from across the south east of Ireland together to celebrate biodiversity, our Living Earth, nature, health and wellbeing and is funded by Science Foundation Ireland, Waterford Council and industry partners West Pharma, Abbott, Sanofi, MSD and Bausch + Lomb.

This year, the festival continued to highlight local amenities and centres showcasing the rich natural heritage and the environment across the region in partnership with organisations such as The National Reptile Zoo and the All Ireland Pollinator Plan.

The gallery includes a selection of student art competition entries from St. Senan’s National School Kilmacow, Graiguenamanagh Boys National School and Urlingford National School.

Find more resources and activities HERE