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The ReelLIFE SCIENCE Video Competition is back for 2018!

In its sixth year, the contest is now open to participants of all ages, from Primary and Secondary Schools, Community Groups, Youth Groups and Clubs all around Ireland. We want you to share your passion for Science and Technology while having some fun along the way!

We are encouraging participants to pick up a camera or smartphone and make an engaging and educational three minute video communicating a science topic for the general public. This year’s competition topics are ‘Healing the Body‘, ‘How Things Work‘, ‘Myths Busted‘, ‘Our Amazing Planet‘, ‘Science and Me‘, ‘Science Heroes‘, ‘Science in Space‘ and ‘The Power of STEM‘.

The closing date for entries is Friday October 19th. We are very excited to announce that this year’s winning videos will be selected by a panel of Special Guest Judges, including comedian and TV presenter Dara Ó Briain, aeronautical engineer and astronaut candidate Norah Patten and BT Young Scientist winner Simon Meehan.

“ReelLIFE SCIENCE is a wonderful project, which encourages people to connect with science and technology in a fun way, and share their knowledge and creativity with the public via video. I’m delighted to be one of the judges and am very excited to see this year’s videos.” Dara Ó Briain

Results will be announced during Science Week 2018 and the best videos will be screened for the public at the Galway Science and Technology Festival on Sunday November 25th.

Based in NUI Galway and supported by the Science Foundation Ireland Discover programme, the Community Knowledge Initiative, the CÚRAM Centre for Research in Medical Devices, the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science and the Cell EXPLORERS outreach programme, ReelLIFE SCIENCE will award over €5000 in prizes this year, with the makers of the best videos at Community Group, Primary School and Secondary School level each receiving €1000.

Check out our How To Take Part guide for more information, while you can view winning videos from previous years on our 2013-2017 page. A more extensive range of videos are available to view in our Video Library, curated under various themes.

Keep in touch via Twitter and Facebook.

Sooey NS Students

Corofin Foróige team members with ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell

Davitt College TY students with their teacher Fiona O’Connor

Today, at the start of Science Week 2017, the winners of ReelLIFE SCIENCE 2017 are announced as SOOEY NATIONAL SCHOOL from Sooey, Co. Sligo at primary school level, DAVITT COLLEGE, Castlebar, Co. Mayo at secondary school level, and COROFIN FORÓIGE CLUB at Community Level. Their short science videos were selected from almost 200 entries, produced by over 1,500 participants in 83 schools and community groups around Ireland.

Based in NUI Galway and supported by the Science Foundation Ireland Discover programme, the Community Knowledge Initiative (CKI), the CÚRAM Centre for Research in Medical Devices, the National Centre for Biomedical Engineering Science and the Cell EXPLORERS outreach programme, ReelLIFE SCIENCE challenges participants in schools and community groups to engage with science by producing fun and educational short videos. Since 2013, the programme has encouraged more than 8,500 participants in 300 schools and community groups nationwide to learn more about science and technology, while developing their communication and digital skills.

 

Amber Gell experiencing weightlessness in a zero-gravity environment. Photograph: James Blair.

Prof Luke O’Neill with cell culture flasks in Trinity College Dublin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw

Shane Curran receiving his BTYSTE winners’ trophy from Shay Walsh (MD BT Ireland) and Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton. Photograph: BT Young Scientist

Location of participating schools and community groups 2017.

Selecting the best videos to share the €5000 prize fund were Trinity College Dublin Professor of Biochemistry and Fellow of the Royal Society Prof. Luke O’Neill, NASA and Lockheed Martin aerospace engineer Amber Gell and BT Young Scientist & Technologist of the Year 2017, Shane Curran from Terenure College Dublin.

“All of these students should feel like winners, because they did an exceptional job with their entries. I had a lot of fun watching the videos and learning more about their favourite science concepts. You’re only as good as your competition and the ReelLIFE SCIENCE competition clearly brings out the best in us. It stirs a healthy public interest in science and inspires so many great minds to compete.” Amber Gell

ReelLIFE SCIENCE enlists the help of over 100 science students and researchers each year and is directed by NUI Galway’s Dr. Enda O’Connell who said: “We were thrilled again this year with the reaction to the competition, particularly with so many new schools and community groups getting involved for the first time. We are always inspired by the knowledge and creativity shown by the participants in their videos and their passion for science and technology is clear to see. Congratulations to everyone who took part!”

Winning and shortlisted videos can be seen below and will be shown to the public as part of the Galway Science and Technology Festival Exhibition, held in NUI Galway on Sunday November 26th. All 2017 videos can be found on the ReelLIFE SCIENCE YouTube channel.

Continue reading “ReelLIFE SCIENCE Winners 2017 Announced!” →

 Each year, ReelLIFE SCIENCE recruits a special panel of scientists and science communicators to select the best science videos made by schools and groups around Ireland. This year is no different, and we are delighted to introduce our Special Guest Judges for 2017 as Professor Luke O’Neill from Trinity College Dublin, Amber Gell from NASA and Lockheed Martin and Shane Curran from Terenure College Dublin.

Closing date for entries to this year’s competition is Friday October 13th!

Prof. Luke O’Neill is one of Ireland’s most respected and recognisable scientists. Awarded a prestigious Fellowship of the Royal Society in 2016 for his groundbreaking work on the innate immune system, Luke’s signature is now in the Society’s Charter Book alongside those of eminent scientists like Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. Continue reading “Introducing the ReelLIFE SCIENCE Special Guest Judges for 2017” →