| 2005 |
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YEAR BOOK |
Editorial
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Science in the news |
Throughout 2005 science made the news for good and bad reasons. In the early part of the year there was much discussion following the earthquake and consequent tsunami in the Indian Ocean and the devastating effect on the countries in the region. On a positive note the discovery of a "tenth planet" and the Colombia Space mission captivated us all and created renewed interest in space science, astronomy and theoretical physics. Einstein was popular too as it was the World Year of Physics. To coincide with this it was also Einstein Year in Ireland and the UK, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein's "annus mirabilis" when he published three important papers describing the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion and the special theory of relativity.
At home there were also many public events to celebrate Hamilton Year, marking the bicentenary of William Rowan Hamilton's birth. No doubt he would be pleased to see that his equations are still the subject of fascination and study in the school going generation. as the Youth Science section illustrates. 2005 also saw the return to Dublin of the British Association for the Advancement of Science Festival after a gap of 48 years. The BA Festival and the Science in the City programme, run in association with it, offered a welcome opportunity for the public to become involved in some fantastic presentations, displays and sessions. The festival received extensive coverage in many sections of the news media and created a general awareness of the contribution science makes to our world as well as offering a platform for debate, exchange of ideas and analysis in the scientific community.
Creating interest in, and curiosity about, science is badly needed and it is again disappointing to note a decline in the numbers applying for some engineering and science courses as well as serious concern at the level of mathematical ability achieved by students leaving school. This is being expressed in the commercial, academic and public sectors throughout the island given the importance of numerical literacy and the existing and predicted demand-supply gap in the sciences. There have been calls from industry and academia to re-examine the Leaving Cert maths curriculum and to evaluate the way it is taught given the decrease in the standard achieved at all levels at a time when results in other subjects have improved significantly. A fall in the uptake in science in Northern Ireland also continues to cause concern as the number of physical science graduates is insufficient to meet current market and academic requirements, not to mention the estimated increased demand over the next decade.
What happens to the thousand plus students who enter the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition each year? Of course many pursue careers in science and engineering and some follow other preferred career paths and enhance other professions with their scientific background. However, one must ask how many of these students are lost to the world of science because of lack of awareness or competing interests, concern over its security as a career or income levels? Where and why does their interest in science end and what can be done to stop this trend? As noted in previous Year Books, and in this edition, many laudable initiatives have been undertaken and these will, hopefully, pay dividends in the future. But more needs to be done. The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs, entrusted by the Government with the task of examining the needs of our future economy, found that skills will be the country's most sustainable competitive advantage in the years to come.
However, for those currently working in science it has been a fruitful year on the research front as you will read on the following pages. Many of the issues making the news at the time of going to press are the subject of in depth research in various institutions throughout the island. There is much public debate on rising energy prices and the need to explore alternative energy sources for environmental and economic reasons, some of our contributors have interesting findings on this issue. It is refreshing to learn about the collaboration and mutual co-operation that exists between the institutions and various universities in many sectors. Given the growing disquiet over the level of obesity and general fitness it is also inspiring to read about the correlation between a healthy body and mind, the number of health promotion initiatives and the amount of research that is undertaken by the agri-food sector. From farm to fork, climate change to "smart" drugs and devices, organic waste to high end computing, there is fascinating investigative work going on throughout the country.
Many thanks for your support again this year. The contents, from regulars and new comers alike, illustrate the variety and public relevance of the research undertaken.
I look forward to reading about more of this work next year and wish you all success for 2006.
What would William Rowan Hamilton make of it all?
