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<\/span>Wednesday 13<\/span><\/b>th<\/span><\/b> August was the 200<\/span><\/b>th<\/span><\/b>\u00a0anniversary of the birth of legendary Irish mathematician, George Gabriel Stokes, whose maths is today used to model climate change.<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\nMarking the occasion, Ireland\u0092s Maths Week 2019 will include\u00a0<\/span>Stokes\u0092s<\/span>\u00a0work in events and information for schools and the general public from 12<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0\u0096 20<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0October next.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>Stokes was born in Co. Sligo in 1819, and became the <\/span>Lucasian<\/span>\u00a0Professor of Maths at Cambridge University, (previously held by Isaac Newton and more recently by Stephen Hawking). He was also MP for Cambridge and was president of the Royal Society. He was one of the most important Science administrators of the 19<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0Century, making multiple important contributions to mathematics, physics and engineering.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.mathsweek.ie\/2025\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/PSM_V62_D483_George_Gabriel_Stokes.png\")
<\/p>\n
Dr.<\/span>\u00a0Sheila\u00a0<\/span>Donegan<\/span>, Co-founder of Maths Week and Director of the CALMAST STEM\u00a0<\/span>Engagement\u00a0<\/span>Centre at Waterford Institute of Technology said:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u0093It\u0092s wonderful to think that the genius of Stokes\u0092 mathematical equations still has such a strong significance today, helping climatologists to figure out what\u0092s happening with our world as we face existential challenges through climate change.<\/span>\u0094<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u0093<\/span>Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Scientists have determined that the average temperature of the planet is causing rising sea levels and e<\/span>xtreme weather events with drought and flooding in many areas. It\u0092s really important to be able to predict what could happen in the future and this is done using mathematical models. These are\u00a0<\/span>linked<\/span>\u00a0groups of mathematical formulae that describe the relations between temperatures and the weather,\u00a0<\/span>based on statistical data and patterns.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u0093At the heart of the weather is the movement of air. Air moves in three dimensions \u0096 it can change direction, speed, swirl and turn which makes it difficult to describe\u00a0<\/span>and predict.\u00a0<\/span>Navier<\/span>-Stokes equations are used to describe the movement of air, water and other fluids. These equations are central to climate models but they are too complex to be solved directly, so computer programmes are used to<\/span>\u00a0approximate\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0answers.? George Gabriel Stokes was one of the developers of these equations in the 19<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0Century\u00a0<\/span>and mathematicians are still working with them to find better ways of modelling to\u00a0<\/span>predict the future.\u0094<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u0093It\u0092s also really timely as another cohort of Leaving Certificate students receive their results this week,\u00a0<\/span>including maths at Honours, Ordinary<\/span>, F<\/span>o<\/span>undation\u00a0<\/span>and Applied levels, the sciences and humanities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u0093Ireland needs to have a continuing emphasis on maths and numeracy at a national level, in line with our overall progress in the area of STEM-related subjects. It\u0092s essential for this level of engagement with maths to continue so that we can support the development of rewarding careers and a competitive economy for the future.? It\u0092s even more important when you consider the importance of maths in figuring out the potential future of our planet.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0 <\/span>\u0093We believe the additional points that are available in the Leaving Cert for Honours Maths are an effective incentive to further encourage young people to engage with maths at the highest possible levels.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0 \u0093Of course we know that not everybody can be a George Gabriel Stokes, Isaac Einstein or Stephen Hawking. People\u0092s talents and achievements can be applied in a myriad of differing ways.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0 \u0093While maths isn\u0092t always easy for everyone, it\u0092s truly important for parents to encourage an interest in maths and numeracy from an early age and also to encourage older students to do the absolute best they can at maths throughout their school lives. Disciplines such as engineering, science, computing, finance, economics, accountancy, management and many others all have a mathematical basis. <\/span><\/p>\n\u00a0 \u0093It\u0092s essential that we have an adequate pool of appropriately skilled graduates to create, attract and maintain high quality jobs in this country, where all of these sectors of the economy are showing a strong demand for graduates and this will increase in the future. In general terms, it is the case that maths and numeracy enable every aspect of life and living in Ireland, so an overall proficiency is clearly essential for everyone in our society and economy.\u0094<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nNow in its 14<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0year, Maths Week is firmly established as a driver of maths promotion in Ireland. Co-ordinated by Calmast, Waterford Institute of Technology\u0092s STEM\u00a0<\/span>Engagement\u00a0<\/span>Centre, the annual programme is funded through the SFI Discover Programme, with support from the Department of Education and Skills, Matrix – the Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel, ESB and Xilinx. It is run with more than 50 partner organisations including the universities, institutes of technology, libraries, schools, training colleges and employers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nMaths Week takes place from 12<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0\u0096 20<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0October, 2019<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4314,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_vp_format_video_url":"","_vp_image_focal_point":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-event","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMaths Week Celebrates George Stokes – MATHS WEEK IRELAND<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" 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Stokes was born in Co. Sligo in 1819, and became the <\/span>Lucasian<\/span>\u00a0Professor of Maths at Cambridge University, (previously held by Isaac Newton and more recently by Stephen Hawking). He was also MP for Cambridge and was president of the Royal Society. He was one of the most important Science administrators of the 19<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0Century, making multiple important contributions to mathematics, physics and engineering.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Dr.<\/span>\u00a0Sheila\u00a0<\/span>Donegan<\/span>, Co-founder of Maths Week and Director of the CALMAST STEM\u00a0<\/span>Engagement\u00a0<\/span>Centre at Waterford Institute of Technology said:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u0093It\u0092s wonderful to think that the genius of Stokes\u0092 mathematical equations still has such a strong significance today, helping climatologists to figure out what\u0092s happening with our world as we face existential challenges through climate change.<\/span>\u0094<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u0093<\/span>Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. Scientists have determined that the average temperature of the planet is causing rising sea levels and e<\/span>xtreme weather events with drought and flooding in many areas. It\u0092s really important to be able to predict what could happen in the future and this is done using mathematical models. These are\u00a0<\/span>linked<\/span>\u00a0groups of mathematical formulae that describe the relations between temperatures and the weather,\u00a0<\/span>based on statistical data and patterns.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u0093At the heart of the weather is the movement of air. Air moves in three dimensions \u0096 it can change direction, speed, swirl and turn which makes it difficult to describe\u00a0<\/span>and predict.\u00a0<\/span>Navier<\/span>-Stokes equations are used to describe the movement of air, water and other fluids. These equations are central to climate models but they are too complex to be solved directly, so computer programmes are used to<\/span>\u00a0approximate\u00a0<\/span>the<\/span>\u00a0answers.? George Gabriel Stokes was one of the developers of these equations in the 19<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0Century\u00a0<\/span>and mathematicians are still working with them to find better ways of modelling to\u00a0<\/span>predict the future.\u0094<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u0093It\u0092s also really timely as another cohort of Leaving Certificate students receive their results this week,\u00a0<\/span>including maths at Honours, Ordinary<\/span>, F<\/span>o<\/span>undation\u00a0<\/span>and Applied levels, the sciences and humanities.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n ?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u0093Ireland needs to have a continuing emphasis on maths and numeracy at a national level, in line with our overall progress in the area of STEM-related subjects. It\u0092s essential for this level of engagement with maths to continue so that we can support the development of rewarding careers and a competitive economy for the future.? It\u0092s even more important when you consider the importance of maths in figuring out the potential future of our planet.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 <\/span>\u0093We believe the additional points that are available in the Leaving Cert for Honours Maths are an effective incentive to further encourage young people to engage with maths at the highest possible levels.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u0093Of course we know that not everybody can be a George Gabriel Stokes, Isaac Einstein or Stephen Hawking. People\u0092s talents and achievements can be applied in a myriad of differing ways.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u0093While maths isn\u0092t always easy for everyone, it\u0092s truly important for parents to encourage an interest in maths and numeracy from an early age and also to encourage older students to do the absolute best they can at maths throughout their school lives. Disciplines such as engineering, science, computing, finance, economics, accountancy, management and many others all have a mathematical basis. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u0093It\u0092s essential that we have an adequate pool of appropriately skilled graduates to create, attract and maintain high quality jobs in this country, where all of these sectors of the economy are showing a strong demand for graduates and this will increase in the future. In general terms, it is the case that maths and numeracy enable every aspect of life and living in Ireland, so an overall proficiency is clearly essential for everyone in our society and economy.\u0094<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Now in its 14<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0year, Maths Week is firmly established as a driver of maths promotion in Ireland. Co-ordinated by Calmast, Waterford Institute of Technology\u0092s STEM\u00a0<\/span>Engagement\u00a0<\/span>Centre, the annual programme is funded through the SFI Discover Programme, with support from the Department of Education and Skills, Matrix – the Northern Ireland Science Industry Panel, ESB and Xilinx. It is run with more than 50 partner organisations including the universities, institutes of technology, libraries, schools, training colleges and employers.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Maths Week takes place from 12<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0\u0096 20<\/span>th<\/span>\u00a0October, 2019<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/p>\n