Podcast
Scibernia podcast episode 31: celebrating science teachers and atom-splitters
May 11th
Ernest Walton, Irish Nobel laureate in physics
In the latest episode of Scibernia, we celebrate the 80th anniversary of Irish physicist Ernest Walton’s “splitting of the atom” and find out why dark clouds could be gathering over science in Irish classrooms.
Hit the ‘Play’ or ‘Download’ button below now, or subscribe via iTunes.
In this episode:
- Our reporter Gerard Cunningham goes to DCU to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Ernest Walton‘s ‘splitting of the atom‘ (though technically that’s not what he did — listen to the podcast to find out more!). Walton ultimately became the only ever Irish person to win a Nobel prize in a science discipline for the breakthrough.
- And Sylvia visits the Irish Science Teachers’ Association‘s 50th annual conference, where she talks to teachers about the challenges science teachers face in the classroom and hears some sobering numbers about how schools are dropping science subjects due to budget cuts. She caught up with Irish science teacher Humphrey Jones, US chemistry teacher Bob Becker and ISTA chairperson Yvonne Higgins at the conference.
Get in touch with your feedback, ideas or questions at podcast@scibernia.ie, follow us on Twitter on @Scibernia, or check us out on Facebook. Thanks for listening!
Photo: Nobel Foundation
Scibernia podcast episode 30: Beer, sun storms and scare stories
Apr 18th
In the latest episode of Scibernia we learn about the science of brewing, solar storms and how science scare stories develop. To listen, press the ‘Play’ or ‘Download’ button below now, or subscribe via iTunes.
In this episode:
- New Scibernia contributor Geoff Hamilton investigates the science of brewing beer as he talks to the Carlow Brewing Company
- Conor Farrell talks to solar physicist Peter Gallagher about Ireland’s role in LOFAR, a new radio telescope that will be used to study solar flares and other astronomical phenomena
- And Gerard Cunningham investigates the making of medical and scientific scare stories as he talks to Sile Lane of Sense About Science
Get in touch with your feedback, ideas and questions at podcast@scibernia.ie, follow us on Twitter on @Scibernia, or check us out on Facebook.
Scibernia podcast episode 29: The science of Sesame Street, LEGO and Audi
Apr 4th
This episode is a special show dedicated to the Atlantic STEM Conference 2012, held in Tullamore, Co Offaly, last week. We sent Sylvia Leatham and Gerard Cunningham along to hear some new ideas about how to make STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and maths) more engaging for students. To listen, press the ‘Play’ or ‘Download’ button below now, or subscribe via iTunes.
In this episode:
- Carol-Lynn Parente, executive producer of Sesame Street, tells us how characters like Super Grover 2.0 are helping to make science fun for preschoolers and their parents.
- Ward Van Duffel, from LEGO Education in Europe, tells us how the problem-solving skills and imagination kids use when playing with LEGO can be harnessed to enhance STEM learning in schools.
- Leena Gade, Audi Sport‘s chief race engineer, talks about the climb to the top of her career in the motor sport industry, having known from age 12 that she wanted to be an engineer.
- Fergal O’Brien, associate professor at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, describes the multi-disciplinary effort involved in researching and engineering new biomedical products.
- Marc Watson, president of US firm Imagine Creative Technology and TEQ Games, tells us about the role of storytelling and play in inspiring STEM engagement among teenagers.
- Finally, Jackie Gorman, the CEO of Atlantic Corridor, gives us an overview of the event; while Tony Devlin from event sponsor Ericsson Ireland discusses the importance of fostering a ‘why not?’ attitude to higher level maths among students.
Get in touch with us at podcast@scibernia.ie, follow us on Twitter on @Scibernia, or check us out on Facebook. Thanks for listening!
Scibernia podcast episode 28: insect-eating, invisibility-cloaking & observatory-going!
Mar 7th
Episode 28 of Scibernia is now live, featuring various members of the Scibernia team eating beetle larvae, jumping on adult bouncy castles and finding out if they can become invisible.
To listen, Press the ‘Play’ or ‘Download’ button below now, or subscribe via iTunes.
In this episode:
- Sylvia visits Edible, the Science Gallery‘s latest exhibition, to find about the future of food, and how we can make human food consumption more sustainable. She also brought some mealworms — larvae of the mealworm beetle, something we actually got wrong on the podcast — into studio for tasting!
- Triona talks to physicist John Pendry, one of the world’s leading experts on metamaterials, about how close Harry Potter’s invisibility cloak is to becoming a reality.
- And Hillary O’Donnell Sullivan of the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies tells our reporter Gerard Cunningham about Dunsink Obersvatory in west Dublin, one of Ireland’s oldest scientific institutions, and the place where Dublin Mean Time was once calculated!
Get in touch with us at podcast@scibernia.ie, follow us on Twitter on @Scibernia, or check us out on Facebook. Thanks for listening.
Scibernia podcast episode 27: City of Science, mission to Mars & high-tech hurling
Feb 23rd
In this episode of Scibernia, hear about some of the many events taking place as Dublin becomes City of Science, think about life on Mars, and learn how high-tech engineering is influencing Gaelic games. Hit the ‘Play’ or ‘Download’ button below now, or subscribe via iTunes.
In this episode:
- Sylvia takes a look at some of the cultural, arts and community events taking place during 2012 as Dublin assumes the mantle of European City of Science, including the Dublin Mini Maker Faire, kids’ events at The Ark, and the upcoming Science Hack Day.
- Conor catches up with Dublin space scientist Kevin Nolan to talk about the possibility of life on Mars and NASA’s current mission of discovery to the Red Planet.
- And Lenny speaks to Conchúr O’Bradaigh from NUI Galway about the role of high-tech engineering in the manufacture of modern hurling equipment.
Get in touch with your feedback, ideas or questions at podcast@scibernia.ie, follow us on Twitter on @Scibernia, or check us out on Facebook. Thanks for listening!
[Image credit: © Copyright Ariel Waldman]
Scibernia podcast episode 27: City of Science, mission to Mars & high-tech hurling [ 29:40 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download
