The Marine Institute, alongside the Explorers Education Programme for primary schools, will be showcasing marine science at the 2023 Galway Science and Technology Festival this weekend.

Families are invited to the Bailey Allen Hall on the University of Galway campus on Sunday 12 November to learn more about Ireland’s shark species.

“We greatly enjoy the opportunity provided every year by the Galway Science and Technology Festival to highlight the work we do here at the Marine Institute, and to showcase in particular the Explorers Education Programme,” said Patricia Orme, director of corporate services at the Marine Institute.

“The event is perfect for fostering an interest in marine science in children and adults alike. With this year’s focus on sharks, we hope families will enjoy learning more about these fascinating creatures.”

Celebrating the launch of Explorers’ new children’s information book Fin-tastic Sharks: An Introduction to Elasmobranchs, the team will be sharing stories of the wonders of sharks from around the world to those found in Irish waters.

“We all know that children love sharks, skates and rays,” said Cushla Dromgool-Regan, strategic education and communications manager of the Explorers Education Programme. “The Explorers team is very excited about examining the jaws of the great white shark, to the giant teeth of the megalodon and to also learn about the super powers of many different shark species closer to home.”

A still from video captured of the shark nursery in deep waters off the West of Ireland during the SeaRover ROV survey in 2018 | Credit: Marine Institute

Ireland’s ocean resource is the perfect refuge for endangered species, such as the world’s second largest shark, the basking shark, the common stingray and the white skate which is critically endangered.

Dromgool-Regan added: “Seventy-one species of sharks, skates, rays and chimaeras are found in Irish waters. This is over half the number of all of these species in Europe. This highlights the importance of the collaborative work of the scientists at the Marine Institute who work with other scientists, fishers and local communities to help establish [the status of] sharks, skates and rays in Irish waters.”

The Explorers team will also be displaying lots of shark biofacts and some of their favourite sharks, including baby lesser spotted dogfish and shark egg cases, also known as mermaid purses.

Families will have the opportunity to learn more about the 2018 discovery of an extremely rare shark nursery. Very large numbers of mermaid’s purses were observed on the sea floor at depths of 750 metres. Such large concentrations are very uncommon, indicating that females may gather in this area on the seafloor to lay their eggs.

Video footage of an extremely rare angelshark sighting in Rinville during the summer by some student kayaking enthusiasts will also be on display.

The Marine Institute’s exhibition ‘The Wild Atlantic – Sea Science' is also open at the Galway City Museum. Free to visitors, the gallery features seabed mapping, amazing scientific discoveries and creatures of the deep. In the ROV (remotely operated vehicle) simulator, explore ocean depths like a marine scientist and discover cold-water corals, shipwrecks and a rare shark nursery.

For more information on the 2023 Galway Science and Technology Festival programme and to register for free event tickets, visit www.galwayscience.ie. It’s sure to be a fin-tastic day out for the whole family!

The Marine Institute, alongside the Explorers Education Programme, will be showcasing the new RV Tom Crean and its work in marine science at the 2022 Galway Science and Technology Festival this weekend.

Families are invited to the Bailey Allen Hall at the University of Galway on Sunday 13 November to learn more about Ireland’s marine research vessels and creatures of the deep sea.

Patricia Orme, director of corporate services at the Marine Institute said, “The Galway Science and Technology Festival serves as an excellent opportunity for the Marine Institute, and our Explorers Education Programme, to nurture students’ interest in marine science. We look forward to welcoming parents and children to learn more about the importance of our ocean and the work our scientists do on our marine research vessels.”

Discover the survey work undertaken by Ireland’s newest research vessel, the RV Tom Crean, which featured on RTÉ’s Nationwide this week, as well as the RV Celtic Explorer — which are both based in the Port of Galway.

Learn more about some of the unique features of these vessels and why they are important for fisheries research, seabed mapping and climate studies.

You will have the chance to meet marine scientists and find out what it’s like to survey our seas on board. There’s also the opportunity for children to enter a competition to win a LEGO City Ocean Exploration Set and an ocean-themed book hamper for their primary school.

Join the Marine Institute’s Explorers Education team and check out ‘The Good, The Bad & The Ugly: Deep-Sea Species’ activities. Discover some of the adaptations that deep-sea species have acquired for surviving in the ocean’s most inhospitable environments.

Visitors of all ages can get a closer look at the RV Tom Crean as well as the RV Celtic Explorer in Galway this weekend | Credit: Jason Clarke

Take part in the ‘Great Explorers Challenge’ to light up the angler fish circuit, and play the ‘Match the Deep-Sea Species’ game to learn how life persists where there is no light, little oxygen, and where temperatures are close to freezing. Take a close look at dogfish sharks and baby flatfish in the Explorers display tanks.

The Marine Institute will also be showcasing the work of one its research projects, EuroSea, in the Orbsen Building on Sunday. The EuroSea project brings together 53 organisations working across the European Seas and the Atlantic Ocean in order to improve the coordination of Europe’s ocean observing and deliver information and solutions to support decision-making in the areas of climate, ocean health and maritime activities.

As part of the iFADO project, the Marine Institute will be involved in a talk on Thursday 17 November about the project’s mission to release a fleet of mini-boats from each country of the European Atlantic facade.

Students involved in the programme worked together to prepare, deploy, and track their very own mini-boat, in order to collect information about ocean currents, weather, and technology. The mini-boats are directed to different communities and schools around the world, providing students with the opportunity to learn about different cultures. Book a place at galwayscience.ie.

The Marine Institute’s exhibition ‘The Wild Atlantic – Sea Science’ is also open at Galway City Museum. Free to visitors, the gallery features exhibitions on climate change, surveys at sea, the SmartBay Observatory in Galway Bay, as well as seabed mapping, amazing scientific discoveries and creatures of the deep. In the Remotely Operated Vehicle Simulator, explore ocean depths like a marine scientist and discover cold-water corals, shipwrecks and a rare shark nursery.

For more information on the 2022 Galway Science and Technology Festival programme, which runs from Sunday 13 to Friday 25 November, visit galwayscience.ie.

To celebrate Science Week, the Marine Institute and the Explorers Education Programme are supporting the 2021 Galway Science and Technology Festival, which kicked off on Sunday 7 November and continues to Sunday 21 November.

“We are delighted to engage with parents and children again this year to inspire the next generation to be ocean champions and pursue marine careers,” said the Marine Institute’s Patricia Orme.

The Explorers Education Programme and Galway Atlantaquaria are providing school classes with guided tours of Ireland’s largest native species aquarium.

Primary school children will receive an Explorers resource pack and access the aquarium’s virtual tour. Explorers’ Wild About Wildlife on the Seashore short films will also be showcased for Science Week.

Dive beneath the surface to explore our deep sea in The Wild Atlantic – Sea Science exhibition at Galway City Museum. Free to visitors, the gallery features new exhibitions on climate change, surveys at sea, and life along the seashore.

In the ROV simulator, explore ocean depths like a marine scientist and discover cold-water corals, shipwrecks and a rare shark nursery.

Visitors to the exhibition can pick up a free children's activity book to continue exploring the marine world from home.

Those engaging virtually can learn about our ocean and climate with ‘The Science Guy’ Mark Langtry in the Marine Institute’s Sea Science Series available on the Galway Science & Technology Festival website.

Mark brings the wonders of sea science to the screen with his entertaining, sometimes explosive, and educational sea science shows. The four-part series includes episodes on ocean acidification, creating ocean currents, and experiments on temperature and salinity.

And discover how scientists at the Marine Institute are increasing our understanding of the ocean through their research with the ‘Our People’ video series, which profiles the study and career paths of our people and the work they do at the Marine Institute.

Meanwhile, the Marine Institute is running a competition on the Galway Science & Technology Festival Facebook page. View the short film Ireland's Marine Life and guess the correct number of species featured for the chance to win a LEGO City Ocean Exploration Submarine Set.

In Ireland’s Marine Life, follow Fiadh, a gannet journeying over and underwater and meeting sea creatures along the way — from tiny hermit crabs and jellyfish to dolphins and basking sharks.

The Marine Institute and its Explorers Education Programme will once again be a part of the Galway Science and Technology Festival, which this year is a virtual experience for families on the weekend of 21-22 November.

Step aboard the Marine Institute’s marine science research vessel Celtic Explorer via a 90-minute livestream on Sunday 22 November from 11am to learn about some of its unique features, and why it is so important for fisheries research, climate studies and seabed mapping.

After the virtual show, jump aboard the RV Celtic Explorer and take a 3D virtual tour, or enjoy downloadable resources, videos and interactive activities that explore Ireland’s marine resource from the Oceans of Learning series.

And the weekend starts off with a trip to the seashore with the Explorers Education Programme team, who get ‘Wild about Wildlife’ as part of a special video series that’s been screened for schools this week as part of Science Week. Tune into the Galway Science & Technology Festival’s YouTube channel at 11am on Saturday 21 November (and again at 3pm on Sunday 22).

Marine Institute chief executive Dr Paul Connolly said: “The Marine Institute has supported the annual Galway Science and Technology Festival for many years, and is delighted to engage with parents and children through an online platform this year.

“The annual outreach event nurtures students’ interest and curiosity in science and technology subjects, and is also an opportunity for the Marine Institute, and our Explorers Education Programme, to raise awareness about the importance of our ocean and the work of our scientists.”

Meanwhile, the institute is also encouraging children to get creative and colour in a picture of the RV Celtic Explorer.

The winning entry will receive a LEGO City Ocean Exploration Submarine Deep Sea Set, and there are also two LEGO City Ocean Exploration Mini-Submarine Sets on offer.

To enter, download a copy of the colouring competition from the Marine Institute’s website, post a photo of your finished creation to social media and tag the institute on Twitter or Facebook. Winners will be announced on Friday 27 November.