Taking science out of the labs and onto Dublin’s streets
Debates, exhibitions, readings, an open-air film screening, walks and talks are included in a special programme of
Science in the City events at
the BA Festival of Science that will prove to everyone that science can be exciting, relevant and entertaining.
During this year’s Festival there will be events throughout the city as part of the Science in the City programme. Although the Festival is organised by the BA, a UK-based organisation, Jo Coleman, Festival Manager at the BA, is keen to stress, the programme of events was developed with the help and input of groups from Ireland.
‘
Our ethos at the BA is all about involving the public in science, so it was essential that we were tackling the issues that people saw as relevant to them,’ says Jo. ‘
From the outset, we consulted with people in Dublin who told us what issues they wanted to see tackled at the Festival.’
The Science in the City programme has been co-ordinated from
Dublin City University, by [broken link removed], senior lecturer and Head of School of Communications at the university, and Philip O’Reilly.
‘The idea behind the Science in the City programme is to attract a diversity of people with presentations of science issues in a wide variety of forms and settings,’ says Brian.
‘We will be exploring issues that affect Dubliners – the smoking ban, Ireland’s drinking culture and climate change – as well as incorporating some more light-hearted elements, like hypnosis, science cabaret and a family science day.’
Events in the Science in the City programme include debates on the agenda for science in Ireland and on the effects of Ireland’s smoking ban, an exploration of the science in Flann O’Brien’s comic novel “The Third Policeman” and a chance to manipulate DNA at kiosks in St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre. Even the Leviathan political cabaret is getting in on the act with a debate on Sellafield.