Summer workshop for teachers
Irish students to represent Ireland at the European CanSat competition
Coláiste an Phiarsaigh, Glanmire, was announced as the winning team at the final of the National CanSat competition at the Lifetime Science Lab in Cork on the 16th March. The students took on the challenge to create a CanSat – a simulation of a real satellite which fits into the volume of a soft drinks can. The CanSat includes all the major elements found in a satellite, such as power, sensors and a communication system. Students from seven schools have worked for a number of months designing, building and testing their CanSats in the lead up to the final at the Lifetime Lab in Cork.
The winning team CaPSat made up of nine students from Coláiste an Phiarsaigh, will now go onto compete at the European CanSat final in The Netherlands in April, where their CanSat will be launched to an altitude of approximately 1km by a rocket. The travelling team will be sponsored on their journey by Cork Electronics Industry Association( CEIA), ESERO Ireland( European Space Education Resource Office),
Summer workshop for teachers
Secondary school teachers have been invited to participate in a summer workshop organised by the European Space Agency, ESA. The workshop will be held at ESA’ s centre in Noordwijk in The Netherlands from 20th to 23rd August 2013.
During the workshops teachers will be presented with engaging co-funded by the European Space Agency and Discover Science & Engineering, Science Foundation Ireland’ s( SFI) education and outreach programme.
Ann Fitzpatrick, ESERO Ireland Manager, said“ The purpose of the CanSat competition is to open up the possibilities of space and exploration to secondary school students. In December 2012 we saw Enbio sign a € 500,000 contract with the European Space Agency to better protect satellites in space. This is just one example of an Irish company that is thriving in the space sector, and it highlights the space related opportunities that are available for students and graduates. ESERO Ireland’ s ambition, with the assistance of the European Space Agency, is to foster the skills that are required for this industry at an early age and the CanSat competition provides a practical experience of a real space project for second level students. Working in partnership with CEIA we plan to expand the National CanSat competitions across Ireland with support from industry and third level institutions the final in Cork is a great step towards realising this goal.”
and novel ways to show the relevance of science, technology, engineering and maths to space.
The workshop is open to teachers of STEM subjects but places are limited. Teachers interested in participating should submit a completed online application form by 21st May. There is no charge, but participants must arrange their own travel to The Netherlands.
http:// www. esa. int / Education / Teachers _ Corner / ESA _ Summer _ Workshop _ for _ Teachers _ 2013
www. discover-science. ie