Public Invited to Join Ireland’s Biggest Brainstorm at TUS Athlone Campus
Creating Our Future: Be Part of the National Conversation
Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) ‘Creating Our Future’ roadshow is coming to the Technological University of the Shannon Midlands Midwest’s (TUS) Athlone campus on Wednesday, November 17, and members of the public are invited to attend and partake in ‘Ireland’s Biggest Brainstorm’.
The event, whose theme is sustainability, aims to bring the local community together with research community members over a cuppa and discuss what people in Athlone would like researchers to do to create a better future.
‘Creating Our Future’ is a government-led national brainstorm that brings the people of Ireland together to discuss the role research can and should play in addressing opportunities, challenges and hopes for the future; its goal is to ensure the direction of research in Ireland is informed by the people it serves.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris, TD, said, "Over the course of the pandemic, we were reminded starkly of how much of our daily lives depend on the efforts of researchers to secure our economy, wellbeing, and health. As a forward-thinking country, we must ask how research can help meet our society's opportunities and challenges over the coming years. ‘Creating Our Future’ opens up this question to all. This roadshow will engage people right across our country in this vital campaign. Everyone, everywhere, might have an idea that will make our country better, and I look forward to hearing them."
Dr Marie Brophy, Dean of Graduate Studies and Research at TUS, added, "We are excited to host this ‘Creating Our Future’ event on sustainability here on the Athlone campus of TUS. We have a long history of research in sustainability - from our work on recyclable plastics and the circular economy to sustainable eco-systems and eco-innovation. The next challenge is to bring sustainability into everything we do and do this together with our communities. ‘Creating our Future’ is perfectly aligned with our new technological university, engaged with our local communities and our regions and exploring the challenges facing our world."
The roadshow, which Minister Harris launched on September 24, has received almost 5000 submissions to date from the public about the future direction of research in Ireland; the first-of-its-kind government campaign is now in its final month.
SFI and TUS want the community of the wider Midlands to come on campus to the Technological University of the Shannon’s Athlone campus and get involved in shaping the future direction of research focused on addressing global challenges.
Register for this free public event at TUS’s Athlone Campus – Wednesday, November 17, 2PM – 4PM. Register for your free place.
In addition, ‘Creating Our Future’ asks people to submit their ideas about what researchers in Ireland should explore to create a better future through the dedicated online portal, which is open until November 30, 2021.
The submissions received to date have come from members of the general public submitting directly via the website or via engagement with the ‘Creating Our Future’ team.
‘Creating Our Future’ travelled to every county in Ireland with a roadshow in October. All the ideas/suggestions received are compiled, filtered, and analysed by independent experts from a broad range of backgrounds. The submissions received will then form a report for the government and will inform current and future research.