A series of Family Fairs to inspire Ireland’s future engineers through interactive workshops, hands-on activities and engaging shows will take place in Cork, Dublin, Galway and Sligo on Saturday, 4 and Sunday, 5 March to kick off STEPS Engineers Week 2023.
STEPS Engineers Week encourages young people, their teachers, and parents to explore the creative and limitless world of engineering and the diverse opportunities a career in the sector can offer. Taking place from 4-10 March, the week-long celebration of the engineering profession in Ireland, is managed by the Engineers Ireland’s STEPS programme and funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and industry leaders Arup, the EPA, ESB, Intel and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII).
To kick off STEPS Engineers Week, the Engineers Ireland STEPS programme has teamed up with Atlantic Technological University, the University of Galway and Lifetime Lab in Cork to provide families with engaging engineering workshops and shows as part of their annual Family Fair series of events.
DUBLIN
On Saturday, 4 and Sunday, 5 March, families are encouraged to join ‘Scientific Sue’ and ‘Mark the Science Guy’ at Engineers Ireland’s headquarters on Clyde Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin for engaging climate workshops and outer space activities for children of all ages The Reptile Zoo will also join the family weekend of celebrations to encourage children big and small, to learn more about animals and bioengineering.
In addition to the free events taking place at Engineers Ireland’s headquarters, STEM performer ‘Silly Billy’ will also host free walk-in shows on Saturday, 4 March in Jervis Shopping Centre at 12pm and 2pm, and on Sunday, 5 March in Blanchardstown Shopping Centre at 12pm and 2pm.
GALWAY
On Saturday, 4 March the 'Engineering Our Future: Family Fun Day' will take place in the Alice Perry Engineering Building at University of Galway This free Family Fun Day will provide plenty of science and engineering shows, workshops and hands-on activities, ranging from 3D printing and robotics to building wind turbines and creating slime. Families will also get the opportunity to learn more about bicycle repairs from An Meitheal Rothar and the Road Safety Authority’s vehicle simulator will also be at the event.
CORK
The ‘Meet the Engineer’ Family Fun Day with Lifetime Lab will take place at the Old Cork Waterworks on Sunday, 5 March from 12 - 4pm. With free admission, families can enjoy electricity workshops, MathsWorks Mobile school visits and enquiry-based science workshops. Additional activities, staffed by volunteers from Engineers Ireland Cork Branch, will include programming VEX robots, LEGO construction challenges, snap circuits, engineering trails, make & do and lots more.
SLIGO
On Sunday, 5 March, Atlantic Technological University will host a number of shows, workshops and demonstrations at the Sligo Engineering Fair. From interactive workshops, where participants can build various engineering flying toys, to virtual reality experiences and 3D printing with I-Form, families will get the opportunity to engage in experiments and demonstrations and find out more about the wide ranging ways engineers create innovative and sustainable solutions for society.
ONLINE - NATIONWIDE
In addition to in-person events, The Rediscovery Centre and The Reptile Zoo will also host interactive online events on Sunday, 5 March to help bring engineering to life in homes across the country.
Encouraging families to attend STEPS Engineers Week Family Fairs in their locality and online, Damien Owens, Director General of Engineers Ireland, said: “The STEPS Engineers Week Family Fairs will provide children and their families with the opportunity to dream, invent and create like professional engineers. With events taking place in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Sligo and online, I would encourage families to register to attend a free family activity as part of STEPS Engineers Week and find out more about how Irish engineers are pushing the limits of innovation.”
Throughout the week-long celebration, primary and secondary school students, families and teachers are also encouraged to get involved in STEPS Engineers Week 2023 from home or in the classroom by utilising free activities and resources, such as wind energy challenges, engineering quizzes and trails, and availing of books from the STEM stories reading list from local libraries.
Pre-booking is recommended for a number of Family Fair events. To book complimentary tickets or to download free resources, visit: https://www.engineersireland.ie/Schools/Engineers-Week/Parents-and-Guardians