SciFest@TCPID showcases STEM projects from students with intellectual disabilities
Posted on: 31 May 2019
The Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID) was proud to host its third annual ‘SciFest@TCPID supported by Abbott’ exhibition and award ceremony this week. The event was held in the Science Gallery in Trinity and showcased an exciting array of investigative science and technology projects, researched and curated by current TCPID students.
SciFest@TCPID, an initiative developed by TCPID in association with Abbott, aims to encourage a love of science, technology and maths among students with intellectual disabilities.
Now in its third year, the programme is bigger and better than ever! Ten students were encouraged to choose a science project relating to a topic that they are interested in and with the help of Abbott mentors, took their project idea from start to completion, over 5 weeks.
As part of the programme Abbott provide a team of mentors to work with the students on their projects.
Project Titles and Exhibition Participants were:
Barry Olwill – Sound Project
Dale Blount – Keep a Chive Alive
Benog Brady Bates – Sound to Light
Liam Cummins – Ben and Liam’s SciFest United
Kai Tiernan – Turn up the Bass
Julie O’Brien – Super Trooper
Heather Marshall – Heather’s Hair
Sadbh Feehan – The Future in 2030
Sinead Sharkey O’Keeffe – Science of Light and Colours
Aoife Cleary – Pop Rock
TCPID Student, Kai Tiernan said: “Music is my life and my best friend. It always keeps me in company. I really enjoyed doing a SciFest project with my mentors. I’m really grateful and thankful that we got help from Dave (Dave McPhillips from The Coronas). At the start, the SciFest project work was quite hard but it got easy then.”
TCPID Student, Sadbh Feehan said: “The reason I chose this particular project is that I was always curious to see what the world would be like in the future. I was interested to see what the world would be like in 2030. I had great fun working on my project with my mentor.”
TCPID Pathways Coordinator, Marie Devitt, said: “Through the programme we have watched the students come up with ideas, develop their projects and grow in confidence. They have shown real creativity and enthusiasm at every stage of the programme.
Today’s exhibition is a celebration of their work and a chance for them to present their projects to a large audience. The SciFest@TCPID programme shows in a small way what is possible when people are given the opportunity to fulfil their true potential.”
Founder and CEO, SciFest, Sheila Porter said: “SciFest is delighted to partner with the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities and Abbott for SciFest@TCPID 2019. Now in its third year, SciFest@TCPID 2019 is an exciting partnership for SciFest as we are committed to encouraging all young people to engage in activities that link STEM to their everyday lives and to society. As well as developing their STEM related skills, participation in SciFest also helps students to grow in confidence and develop their communication and presentation skills. We congratulate the students on their projects and wish them well for the future.”
The event was attended by a large number of TCPID Business Partners, staff from Trinity College Dublin, as well as students’ families and guests.
Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID) situated within the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin aims to promote the inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in education and society. Our mission is to enable people with an intellectual disability to develop their potential by a combination of high quality research, dissemination of new knowledge, lifelong learning and professional training. The Centre provides people who have intellectual disabilities with the opportunity to participate in a higher education programme designed to enhance their capacity to fully participate in society as independent adults.
