Science Week comes to you: 13 Science Festivals and hundreds of virtual events set to take place to celebrate 25 years of Science Week

Choosing our future – Science Week set to explore the role science will play in shaping our future

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, TD, today joined Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) to launch Science Week 2020, a national celebration of science with hundreds of virtual events taking place. Running from 8-15 November, Science Week provides people across the country with the opportunity to ask questions, explore the science behind our everyday lives, and consider the future we want and the role science can play in helping us create and understand our shared future. This year marks the 25th anniversary celebrations of Science Week, with events for all ages taking place, whether it is exploring the wonder of space from Arranmore island or an interactive family friendly Science Day in Ballyhoura.

This year the theme for Science Week is Choosing our Future, focusing on how science can improve our lives for today and in the future. For Science Week 2020, SFI want to start a conversation on how science can positively impact our collective futures and help us shape the Ireland we want to live in. The public will be asked to share their views during Science Week 2020 through a series of formats.

Launching Science Week 2020, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, TD, said: “Science, technology, engineering and maths all play a huge role in our everyday lives and in our economy, that has never been clearer than during the past few months as we respond to Covid-19. Science Week is an opportunity for us all to engage with the science all around us and have informed conversations about our shared ambitions for our future. I am encouraging people across the country to get involved in Science Week 2020, by joining one of the hundreds of virtual events and festivals taking place. Although we cannot join in person this year, I hope this year’s virtual Science Week will see science celebrated in every corner of Ireland.”

Dr Ruth Freeman, Director of Science for Society, Science Foundation Ireland said: “This year, Science Week aims to support conversations amongst the public about what they want the future of Ireland to look like, and how science can and should support the hope we have for our collective future. Throughout Science Week we will be looking for the public to get involved, to share their views and join one of the hundreds of virtual events taking place this year. As we mark the 25th anniversary of Science Week, we are delighted to bring a fantastic variety of events to the public in a virtual capacity, so wherever you are, there are opportunities to discover, create and engage with science. I want to thank all the organisers for developing some really creative ideas this year and hope that people of all ages get involved and join the conversation on what science can do today and for our shared future.”

Most Science Week 2020 events will take place online and are free to join, but registration may be required. A number of events are due to take place in person, in full compliance with Covid-19 guidelines. A sample of the Science Week events taking place and available to join online are: