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New UCC research projects to bring STEM to communities nationwide
The delivery of co-created school workshops on fossils and exploring how modern technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), contribute to more efficient agricultural systems are the two University College Cork (UCC) projects to receive funding through the Research Ireland Discover Programme.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, and Minister for Education and Youth, Hildegarde Naughton TD, have today announced almost €6 million in funding to support 32 projects nationwide designed to engage the public in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through the Research Ireland Discover Programme.
Unlocking our Fossil Heritage
Led by Professor Maria McNamara in the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences at UCC, this project will capitalise on the unique fascination with fossils to deliver programmes that inspire curiosity in our natural heritage and positive attitudes towards STEM. The €327,998 funded project will reach thousands of people using hands-on and digital interventions. Co-creation of new school workshops on fossils and climate with pupils and teachers, plus a dedicated transition year module, will deliver critically important, unique, learning experiences that forge essential links between science, geography and climate curricula.
A spectacular STEAM exhibition, 'The Domain of the Dinosaurs', featuring artworks and fossils, will tour venues around Ireland, providing opportunities for training facilitators and engaging non-traditional STEM audiences and rural communities. A second STEAM exhibition, co-created with the public, will yield an innovative immersive experience in a recreation of the Carboniferous seafloor.
Engaging Communities with AI-Driven Sustainable Urban Farming
Led by Dr Barbara Doyle Prestwich in the School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, the SmartRoots project, receiving €68,917 in funding, is an innovative public engagement initiative designed to connect communities, particularly underrepresented communities, with the future of sustainable agriculture. Combining hands-on workshops, interactive digital tools, and functional vertical micro-farms, SmartRoots serves to demystify the role of real-time data, sensor technology, and embedded AI in food production. Participants will explore how these technologies contribute to more climate-resilient and efficient agricultural systems, while gaining practical insights into STEM concepts including sustainability practices and the circular economy.
Through schools, community centres, farmers markets and other public events, SmartRoots will offer an accessible, and inclusive programme of events that inspires diverse audiences (particularly those from disadvantaged socioeconomic groups) to engage with the science behind our food systems.
The Research Ireland Discover Programme is a national initiative to widen participation in STEM. This year’s projects will engage with people of all ages, from early childhood through to adulthood, through creative, community-embedded and inclusive approaches to STEM engagement.
Announcing the funding, Minister Lawless highlighted the importance of the initiatives: "These Discover-funded projects are crucial for triggering curiosity and encouraging greater participation in STEM across all education levels and within our communities. In particular, this investment will help foster a deeper understanding of STEM among underrepresented voices and inspire many of them to potentially become more involved in studies and careers in these fields. This will empower future generations to tackle societal challenges and share innovative solutions."
Professor John Cryan, Vice-President for Research and Innovation at UCC, said: "I would like to congratulate Maria and Barbara on receiving these community focused STEM awards. Through engagement and conversation, these projects will inspire young people to be curious and creative, empowering them to pursue careers in STEM."