School Children Explore the Wonders of Engineering at TCD

Feb 17, 2011

As part of Engineers Week Trinity College’s School of Engineering hosted a programme of interactive events and activities aimed at encouraging primary school children to explore the world of engineering and science and to raise awareness about engineering as a career.  The demonstrations were part of a week long programme of nationwide events coordinated by the Engineers Ireland STEPS to Engineering programme.

During the day over 80 children from three Dublin schools visited the Printing House in TCD where current students and staff were on hand to showcase some of the exciting engineering projects and research undertaken by Trinity’s engineering students.  These exhibits included a thermal imaging camera, where student participants could view infrared pictures of themselves as well as a bridge building competition to test their design skills.  The workings of an automatic guided buggy were revealed and students were also treated to a Lego mind storms exhibit which allowed them to understand how a gear train operates by physically assembling and disassembling a working model representing a wind generator.  A display of the inner workings of a combustion engine and a heat driven Stirling engine proved to be a great hit, along with an exhibit showing how different types of light bulbs can produce significantly different light output for the same power consumption.

Kelly Kaulsay, from St Vincent de Paul girls school, Marino, inspected an interactive demonstration at TCD during Engineers Week.

Speaking after the event lecturer in mechanical and manufacturing engineering at TCD and organiser of the Trinity College exhibits, Dr Ciaran Simms, said: “Today was a great success.  It was marvellous to see these children, who will hopefully be the young engineers of the future, engaging with the design challenges we posed to them and showing such an interest in the different exhibits by asking an array of clever questions.”

Every student that participated in the Engineers Week events had the opportunity to enter a competition for a trip to the NEMO Science Centre in Amsterdam.  Students who took part commented that after their visit they had a greater understanding of the contribution of engineering in society and how it is relevant to our everyday lives.

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