REEdI Student Outreach
The REEdI Team were in involved in a number of primary and secondary schools outreach activities during 2022, which are continuing in 2023.
SCIFEST
SciFest 2022 was the fifteenth year of the National Science and Technology competition for 2nd level schools throughout Ireland. It is a festival of science that allows students to develop a love of Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths through learning and provides them with an opportunity to showcase their knowledge. MTU Kerry were delighted to welcome 110 students from 12 schools around the region showcasing 58 projects and the REEDI Team helped out in the judging of the event.
Engineers Ireland – STEPS Engineering Your Future (EYF)
The STEPS Engineering Your Future Programme has now been in existence for more than 10 years. STEPS Engineering Your Future (STEPS EYF) is designed to inspire Transition Year students to study engineering. STEPS EYF is an engineering experience that gives Transition Year (TY) students a hands-on, fun and practical insight into engineering at further education and as a career. The REEDI Team rand some lean 6S manufacturing role play workshops with the TY students to demonstrate the concept of lean principles and eliminating waste from organizations.
Engineers Ireland – STEPS Young Engineers Award
Some of the REEdI Team members are active volunteers with the STEPS Young Engineers Award initiative. This is a competition which encourages 3rd and 4th class pupils and their teachers to explore the world of engineering by developing an engineering project that would help improve their local community. This requires REEdI Engineers partaking in 2 hours CPD training with Engineers Ireland and going out to local primary schools in their respective areas raising awareness about engineering all around them and advising children and teachers how to tackle their projects. The picture below was taken at one of the local primary schools during the Engineering Project Week in November 2022.
Kerry Science Festival
The REEdI team ran various events for the Kerry Science Festival around themes of i) sustainable development, ii) hydraulics, iii) properties of materials. REEDI Student Engineers also helped out on the open day of the festival doing practical STEM demonstrations with primary school children.
Primary School Visits
The REEdI Model of promoting STEM in Primary Schools aims to empower children to become the voices and engineers of the future. REEdI Research Engineers visit the schools on an ongoing basis engaging with children on relevant STEM topics and presenting STEM content to children in an easily understood format. In parallel, specific games and role plays around STEM themes, including, for example sustainability were developed during 2022 to allow children actively engage in the topics. This style of outreach afforded positive STEM connection with a younger audience whom have naturally curious minds and were eager to learn. Below is an example of a board game which the REEdI Team developed specifically for primary school children. The game is based on snakes and ladders but with an SDG themed title called “Climb to the Top”.
Secondary School Visits
The REEdI Team have recently visited secondary schools in the Munster area informing senior cycle students of the BEng in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering. During the visits, the students were introduced to some of the immersive technologies used in the REEdI Programme and got to experience interactive VR demonstrations. The students were provided with VR Headsets during the visits which afforded them a taster of the teaching and learning technologies used in the programme.
Hosting TY Students
The REEdI Team offer hands-on workshops with TY students from various secondary schools to ensure the students are introduced to STEM topics and the application of scientific and engineering principles in advance of choosing leaving cert subjects. The REEdI Team run lean 6S and Problem- Solving Workshops with the students and allow the students learn in a fun and engaging environment.
MTU Kerry Campus Open Days
REEdI Students and Staff had a display stand with course information and competitions to promote the BEng in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering. Many Senior Cycle Students from schools in the Kerry Region and beyond including Galway with even some international students dropping by the stand over the two days. There was great interest and enthusiasm for the new style REEdI Programme.
Green Campus Week 2023
The REEdI Team were part of the organizing committee for Green Campus Week at MTU Kerry from March 6th – 10th 2023. The theme of the event was succeeding together sustainably. The events organized were aligned to one of more SDGs. The REEdI Team hosted a workshop with other STEM programmes titled “Embedding SDGs in Programmes” and both students and staff participated. Also, a Walk for Water Event was held during Green Campus Week and the REEdI Team invited TY students from the local secondary school to attend.
Engineers Ireland Student Membership
The REEdI Team invited Pierre Yimbog from Engineers Ireland to speak to the 1st Year students of the BEng in Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering on the benefits of signing up for student membership at Engineers Ireland. Some students had already signed up while more students signed up on the day. Pierre gave a very interesting presentation on the work carried out by Engineers Ireland and also explained about the resources available. He finished up the class with a quiz and prize giving.
EDGE Programme Roll Out
REEdI Students had Angela McGlynn from MTU Cork Campus visit their class to explain to them about the new EDGE Programme Initiative rolled out across MTU Campuses. EDGE is a new graduate development framework for MTU students in recognition of their extra- and co-curricular involvement and achievements during their time at MTU. A number of the REEdI Students have already registered for EDGE and are working towards achieving their Bronze Awards.
REEdI Steady Fly
To coincide with the science festival, the REEdI team launched a secondary school competition for students to build a model airplane using environmentally friendly materials. Congratulations to winning and Runner Up Team from CBS The Green in Tralee
i-Wish
The REEdI Team were delighted to collaborate with IKC3 – Ireland’s Knowledge Centre for Carbon, Climate and Community Action MTU in sending off the girls from Presentation Secondary Listowel to i-Wish 2023. This was a fun filled day for the students who met inspirational female STEM leaders at the annual i-Wish showcase event at the RDS February 2023.
