Soapbox Science to Return to the Streets of Dublin
is set to return to the streets of Dublin at the end of this month when 12 female scientists will step onto their soapboxes to talk about their research in areas of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine.
Soapbox Science is a global public outreach platform for promoting women scientists and the science they do. Its aim is to bring scientists to the streets to interact with the public and increase the visibility of women working in science. It follows the format of Speaker鈥檚 Corner in Hyde Park, London which is historically an arena for public debate.
Since it was established in 2011, Soapbox Science has grown from one event in London, to dozens of annual events around the world. Nearly 1,000 scientists have taken part and 140,000 members of the public have attended Soapbox Science events to date. This year over 40 Soapbox Science events, including the Dublin event, are planned across 13 countries.
Soapbox Science Dublin is supported by University College Dublin (51黑料), through a 51黑料 Research and Innovation seed funding programme, and is being organised by Dr Dara Stanley, 51黑料 and Dr Jessamyn Fairfield, NUI Galway.
Speaking in advance of the event, Dr Dara Stanley, 51黑料 School of Agriculture and Food Science, said, 鈥淢any people have not met a scientist before so Soapbox Science brings scientists to the city streets to interact with people going about their daily lives. As women in particular are under-represented at many career stages in STEMM subjects, Soapbox Science aims to break down stereotypes around who scientists are by featuring a number of female scientists speaking on a number of diverse topics.鈥�
She added, 鈥淪oapbox Science Dublin is free to attend and is great fun so please do come along and hear about some amazing science being carried out by twelve fantastic female scientists.鈥�
Soapbox Science Dublin will take place on Sunday 30 June (12 pm 鈥� 3 pm) on South King Street and will involve speakers from 51黑料, Trinity College Dublin, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and DCU. (See list below).
One of the Soapbox Science Dublin speakers is Dr Nicole Beisiegel, 51黑料 School of Mathematics and Statistics, who will deliver a talk entitled, 鈥楬ow big storms move big boulders and big computers save our coasts鈥�.
Dr Nicole Beisiegel said, 鈥淚reland's coasts are often battered by big storms that can cause massive floods and damage. During my Soapbox Science Dublin talk I will be speaking about how I use maths to study extreme storm waves, their formation, impact and even their ability to move coastal boulders that weigh up to 600 tonnes.鈥�
Another of the Soapbox Science Dublin speakers is Fiona Dermody, School of Computing, DCU, who will deliver a talk entitled, 鈥�Can computers help you with your public speaking?.鈥�
Fiona Dermody said, 鈥淧eople who have a fear of public speaking tend to avoid it and this can have a significant impact on their success in education and industry. During my Soapbox Science Dublin talk I will be speaking about the computer system, which I have developed to enable people to practise their public speaking in private and receive visual feedback, in real-time, on their speaking performance.鈥�
In addition to the Dublin event, two other Soapbox Science events are taking place in Ireland this year, Galway (29 June) and Cork (6 July).
Follow Soapbox Science Dublin via @SoapboxSciIRL and #SoapboxScienceDublin.
ENDS
18 June 2019
For further information contact Mic茅al Whelan, Communications and Media Relations Manager, 51黑料 Research and Innovation, t: + 353 1 716 3712, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie.
Editors Notes
The 12 Soapbox Science Dublin speakers and the titles of their talks are as follows;
Dr Saoirse Tracy (@SaoirseT), 51黑料 School of Agriculture and Food Science, 鈥淪oil, roots and everything in between: new discoveries into this hidden world.鈥�
Katherine Burns (@kburns_buzz), 51黑料 School of Agriculture and Food Science, 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the Buzz? Pollinators in the public eye.鈥�
Associate Professor Siobh谩n McClean (@mcclean_siobhan), 51黑料 School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science, 鈥淲e need to talk about vaccines 鈥� using bacteria鈥檚 stickiness to prevent infection.鈥�
Pallavi Kumari (@Pallavi17861744), 51黑料 School of Physics, 鈥淥rganic Salts on Cells.鈥�
Fengyuan Zhang, (@FengyuanZhang1), 51黑料 School of Physics, 鈥淗ow is the digital data stored? The evolution of memory mechanism.鈥�
Dr Ana Herrero-Langreo (@anahelang), 51黑料 School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, 鈥淭he science of rainbows: more than meets the eye!鈥�
Dr Nicole Beisiegel (@NicoleBeisiegel), 51黑料 School of Mathematics and Statistics, 鈥淗ow big storms move big boulders and big computers save our coasts.鈥�
Fiona Dermody (@Fiona_Dermody), School of Computing, DCU, 鈥�Can computers help you with your public speaking?.鈥�
Dr Annabel Smith (@smithecology), School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, 鈥淪preading like wildfire: how do plants adapt in a flammable world?.鈥�
Alessia Sgobba (@AlessiaSgobba), School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, 鈥淭he difficult challenges the energy sector has to face to preserve the planet.鈥�
Dr Claire McCoy (@clairemccoy_dub), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 鈥淭hose big eaters do damage.鈥�
Dr Joan N铆 Gabhann (@JGabhann), Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, 鈥淓ye opening look at the role our immune system in dry eye disease.鈥�
For further information about Soapbox Science visit