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Dear Readers,
As the summer heat finally catches with us, we wish all our Readers a fun-filled summer. Keep your eyes peeled for multiple STEM and Maths Summer camps that are being run all around the country. Feel free to tell us about your summer Maths activities by emailing us at mathsweek.wd@setu.ie and you might get a mention on our social media pages! You can also let us know how you use maths during your daily work HERE for a chance to feature on our Local Maths Hero campaign during Maths Week 2024. Eoin Gill |
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| Dr. Norah PattenBorn in county Mayo, she is set to make history as the first Irish person to go to space. She has been selected as one of three research astronauts who will fly to space on Virgin Galactic’s new Delta Class spaceship in 2026. This achievement is a significant milestone for Ireland and a testament to Dr. Patten’s hard work and dedication to her passion for space exploration. |
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Dr. Patten, who is an aeronautical engineer and bioastronautics researcher, has been fascinated with space since she was 11 years old, after a visit to NASA in Cleveland, Ohio. She has a PhD in aeronautical engineering from the University of Limerick and has worked for Realtra Space Systems Engineering in Coolock, Dublin. As part of the research mission, Dr. Patten will join two other female researchers from the US and Canada to advance scientific knowledge on supporting life in space. The mission is being organized by the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences (IIAS) and is expected to take place in 2026. Dr. Patten’s journey to space is not only a personal achievement but also a significant step forward for Ireland’s space industry. Her mission will help to inspire the next generation of engineers, astronauts, and scientists in Ireland and around the world. In her own words, Dr. Patten says, “Sometimes impossible dreams can come true. Since I was 11 years of age, after a visit to NASA, I’ve had my sights set on space.” |
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Mathematician of the Month |
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Dr John J. McDermott Born 2nd July in Galway city and educated at NUI Galway and Bath, his career so far has been at St Andrews and Dundee in Scotland. His earlier focus on computational group theory has given way to research on maths ed in secondary and higher ed settings, with particular emphasis on digital aspects of teaching, learning, and assessment. His father John P. is also a mathematician. |
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| Merrilyn Goos
Born on July 9th in Ipswich, near Brisbane, Australia. Most of her education and research work was conducted at the nearby University of Queensland. Recently, she spent four highly productive years leading EPI*STEM at the University of Limerick (UL). During her tenure there, she supervised ten theses in mathematics education, half at the PhD level, and contributed to the professional development of "out of field" mathematics teachers through a diploma course at UL. She has since returned to Queensland and is currently at the University of the Sunshine Coast. |
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Clonmel Junction FestivalWednesday, July 3rd 2024
The Maths Week Team will be supporting the Clonmel Junction Festival with games and puzzles at the Family Day at the Clonmel Sports Hub from 4-8pm. The Clonmel Junction Arts Festival takes place from 28th June to 7th July and features theatre, music, dance, visual art, film and much more. |
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W5 Summer Camps 15th July — 23rd August, Belfast
Techno Sparks Summer CampGet ready to ignite your inner tech genius, dive into the world of coding, film magic, robot mastery, and more! For ages 11-14, Techno Sparks is the perfect summer camp for hands-on fun! With five electrifying themes each week, every day is jam-packed with thrilling activities to supercharge your digital skills.
Bright Sparks Summer campA STEM-based camp which is specially designed to bring out the budding scientist in everyone. Activities will include workshops, science shows, exhibition visits, construction challenges, coding, animation and much more! Each week will also include a special field trip within the local area. |
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| North West STEM Fest15th July 2024
Young people around Leitrim and Sligo may be interested in this summer camp which promises a lot of problem-solving development and is run by innovative Maths Teacher and Maths Week Ireland presenter, Mr Math Weeney. The activities are designed for all learners from 12 - 16, boys and girls included. and focuses on fostering love and enthusiasm for STEM. North West STEM Fest takes place across 3 weeks this summer. Dromahair (15th July - 19th July) Carrigallen (22nd July - 26th July) Ballinamore Week 1 (22nd July - 26th July) Ballinamore Week 2 with New content (29th July - 2nd August) |
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Spraoi International Street Arts FestivalAugust 2nd- 4th 2024
Join Maths Week Ireland for a fun-filled weekend of Games and Maths puzzles on STEM Street! Spraoi International Street Arts Festival returns on August 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 2024. Spraoi is Ireland’s premiere summer street party at Waterford City and the festival welcome performers and audiences from around the world for a free feast of fun and creativity. Join Maths week Ireland for an fun filled weekend of games and maths puzzles on the Street
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| IMS2024-Annual ‘September’ Meeting of the Irish Mathematical Society29 -30 August On Thursday 29 August and Friday 30 August 2024, the Annual IMS Meeting will be held in the Mathematical Sciences Research Centre of Queen’s University Belfast. There will be a rich variety of talks in Pure and Applied Mathematics and Statistics, see the programme for the titles of the plenary speakers. The conference dinner will be held on Thursday evening (details and a call to register for this will be posted on their website closer to the event). |
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Teacher’s Primary & Post Primary Summer Courses with Maths Content11th September onwards |
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11-09-2024 ONLINE- Beyond the Textbook (Junior & Senior Infants) - Creative Resources for Implementing the New Primary Maths Curriculum (P)
12-09-2024 TRALEE - Ready Set Go Maths Hands On Face to Face Twin Workshop
19-09-2024 Accelerated Reader and Freckle Maths |
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MATHS WEEK AT DUBLIN PORTAL |
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An unique event was hosted by Maths Week Ireland,a link-up was arranged between pupils from Scoil Chaoimhín, Marlborough Street, and children from New York through the National Museum of Mathematics in New York who had the opportunity to meet and practice their maths using the Portal.
The New York–Dublin Portal, also known as The Portal, is an interactive installation created by Lithuanian artist Benediktas Gylys. It allows people in New York City and Dublin to connect through two 24-hour live streaming video screens (without audio) fostering real-time interaction and global interconnectedness. |
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Meeting through the portal at 1 pm local time in Dublin and 8 am in New York, the students on both sides of the Atlantic each had a set of ‘Izak9 Cubes’, the invention of Franz Schlindwein from Derry, with 27 cubes dispatched from Ireland to New York ahead of the online get-together. The cubes have numbers and symbols on their sides, providing a physical hands-on and team-based approach to problem-solving. Both the teams posed questions to each other using Notice boards and hand signals in turns. Successfully culminating in a fun and challenging maths competition between the two teams. The event was well received by the students and the public on both sides bringing awareness towards math enthusiasm, cultivating participation in maths through outreach and partnership and promoting a positive attitude towards STEM in general. |
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| Winners of the Berlin Long Night of Sciences Award at the SciFest National Final go for a trip to the festival
The Berlin Long Night of Science takes place in June/July annually. On one night of the year, large scientific institutions hold lectures and demonstrations for the general public to showcase their research and cover all aspects of science, from natural sciences to social sciences. |
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In June, two students from Sacred Heart Secondary School in Clonakilty, Meabh O'Sullivan and Sarah Harte, accompanied by their teacher Claire Holland, visited the Berlin Long Night of Science in Germany. They attended as winners of the Berlin Long Night of Science Award at the SciFest National Final 2023 . The trip is supported by the Dept. of Foreign Affairs and the Irish Embassy in Berlin. |
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SciFest@College 2024 NorthWest at St Marys, Derry
SciFest@College for the NorthWest region of Northern Ireland took place in St Mary's College, Derry on Tuesday 25th June. Best Project was awarded to Rebecca Lewis from St. Mary’s College Derry for her study: “Investigating the Effect of Acid Rain on Metals Used in Buildings and on Metal Chlorides in Soil”. Teacher Ann Blanking supported the investigation.
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The Universality of Number Sense: Insights from Fish, Birds, Infants, and HumansResearch reveals that fish, birds, infants, and humans share a "number sense" allowing them to understand and manipulate numbers similarly. This innate ability, tied to specific brain areas, enables basic arithmetic and number perception without language. It relies on two systems: the parallel individuation system, which tracks small numbers precisely, and the approximate number system, which estimates larger quantities. These systems, present from early infancy, highlight an evolutionary trait and form the foundation for complex mathematical skills. |
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Maths Beyond the Textbook |
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In Memory of Douglas our friend, we have paused our puzzle and brainteasers section till September. |
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