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	*iSCAN* Newsletter Vol. 3 June 1997 *First iSCAN* AGM The first Annual General Meeting of iSCAN was held on 2 March 1997 at Exploris, Portaferry, Co. Down by kind permission of the director, Ms Caroline Nolan. The meeting was attended by about twenty members as well as some guests. It was opened with two presentations given by Mr Tadhg Condon of ScienceWorks in Tralee and by Ms Fiona Barbagallo of Questacon, in Canberra, Australia. Presentations Tadhg Condon -recounted how his interest in science centres had been triggered by a chance visit to a science centre when he was living in Australia. On returning to Ireland he had enlisted the support of friends in Tralee to make and display a collection of 'hands-on' exhibits which opened as ScienceWorks in Spring 1996. A mobile version which included some of the exhibits and an inflatable planetarium had toured schools with considerable success. The motto of ScienceWorks is 'Science is fun'. Fiona Barbagallo -told of the educational impact of science centres in Australia in bringing science to people not only in cities but also in many isolated communities on the continent. She explained how an Australian physicist, Dr Michael Gore, visited the Exploratorium in San Francisco and was inspired to set up a science centre called Questacon in Canberra in 1980. The Questacon Science Circus employs young science graduates in an elaborate outreach programme which gives them plenty of scope to practise their communication skills. Business A business meeting followed in which Dr Elliott reviewed the activities of the provisional committee in formulating aims, in defining membership categories and in issuing newsletters. Following discussion, it was agreed that to provide adequate geographical representation the committee should be enlarged to twelve members with the possibility of co-opting two additional members as required. Ms Power reported that as of 23 March, iSCAN had 70 members: 22 individual, 41 ordinary, and 7 commercial. The following were elected to the new committee : Tadhg Condon, John Daly, John Donovan, Ian Elliott, Brendan Finucane, John Flynn, Michelle Griffin, Rose Kevany, Charles Mollan, Caroline Nolan, Helen Perry and Thomas Waugh. It was agreed that the committee would elect its own officers. In a discussion about future activities, consideration was given to the compilation of a directory of science centres and to the promotion of travelling exhibitions. These suggestions will be considered by the incoming committee. After lunch Caroline Nolan took the participants on a guided tour of the aquarium and she explained the wide range of attractions that are provided. Later in the afternoon, the party drove north along the Ards peninsula for a guided tour of the National Trusty property at Mount Stewart. Autumn Meeting The next general meeting is planned for the autumn. The meeting will be held in Dublin and the provisional date is September 26. Details will be issued to members closer to that time. Dr Mike Gore Dr Mike Gore, Director of Questacon, will visit Ireland in September. Dr Gore will speak on science centres in Australia. The provisional date is September 30 at Dunsink Observatory. Birr Castle Demesne - Restoration of the Great Telescope The Great Telescope can now be seen in action at Birr Castle Demesne. The inauguration by President Mary Robinson took place on Tuesday 29 April. The mechanical and electrical work is now finished and the Telescope complete with its moving galleries can now be seen in operation. It is planned to commission a new mirror which will be installed in 1998 making the Telescope fully operational and restored to its former glory. The Scientific Galleries The Science Galleries will open in Spring 1998 and will reflect the achievements of the Rosse family in Birr and will be based on Engineering, Astronomy and Photography. Many of the scientific instruments, developed by the Rosse family in the 19th century will be displayed in an exhibition, together with scientific instruments developed or used in Ireland since the 18th century. It is also proposed to build a special exhibition on 'The Turbinia' which was the first steam turbine powered vessel designed by Charles Parsons. The Galleries will have a Theatre that will invite visitors to explore the different aspects of the Centre, by way of a multimedia interpretative hands-on display that will demonstrate how the Telescope worked and the significance of what the astronomers discovered 150 years ago. Pigeon House - an Irish Science and Technology Museum The results of the feasibility study on developing a dynamic and interactive science and technology museum with complimentary activities in the historic Pigeon House Power Station were released on March 26th 1997 by the Management Committee of the Ringsend and District Community Centre. The study calls for a £7 million restoration of the building and harbour with £4 million to be spent on the displays. The ESB has confirmed that they will make the valuable 7.5 acre site and buildings at the former Pigeon House Power Station in Dublin available to the new Pigeon House Trust which through implementing the business plan will develop a £12 million national science museum. The Pigeon House was built in 1903, as a coal burning electricity generating station. It was officially closed in July 1976. At that time - ("Some of the ESB staff believed the station had some historical value but no idea what to do with it" ) said Ms Helen Perry, Project Manager, Pigeon House. An initial feasibility study was commissioned by the ESB- Poolbeg Participation Council on the use of the historic Pigeon House Power Station in 1994 which recommended that the best use for the site was as a Museum of Science and Transport. With the approval of FAS & ESB the Pigeon House Heritage Project was established by the Management Committee of Ringsend and District Community Centre to complete a detailed Business Plan and Feasibility Study of the Pigeon House as a Museum of Science and Technology. The Pigeon House nestles at the foot of the towering twin stacks of the modern Poolbeg Power station which replaced it in 1965. It is a site of considerable significance in the history of Irish technology close to the centre of Dublin. It is envisaged that the Pigeon House will house specific Irish collections which will feature objects, replicas, and purpose built interactive displays which will include permanent exhibitions with temporary exhibit themes and features. Temporary and visiting exhibitions will rotate every 6 months. The Project team is confident that the museum will act as a focus for the study of transport, communications, technology and science in Ireland. The museum will also feature temporary exhibitions, lecture theatres, information shop and a multi-media theatre as well as careers guidance and skills training centre, enterprise units, demonstrations and meeting rooms for individuals and groups. The harbour and other outdoor facilities will also offer guided tours and boat trips. The Pigeon House will include supervised parking and a crèche as well as a cafe, bar and picnic area to enhance the amenities on site. The Master Plan for Dublin Docklands is currently being prepared for the Dublin Docklands Development Authority and will be implemented through Government Legislation. The Pigeon House is recommended as a key project in the regeneration of the Docklands area. The Pigeon House is identified and supported in the Dublin Inner City Partnership Action Plan 1996-2000-Strategic Action For A Working City. The Pigeon House is identified and supported in the Dublin Inner City Partnership Action Plan 1996-2000-Strategic Action For A Working City. Market research shows that a void exists in Dublin for a visitor attraction of this type and scale. It also supports projected visitor figures of 150,000 in year 4, (the year of opening) rising to in excess of 200,000 by the Year 8. The Pigeon House envisages new job creation in the order of 140 during construction, by year 4 there will be 16 positions funded through revenue with three full time and 42 part-time positions funded through the social economy ; commercial activities will provide additional full-time and part-time jobs. Capital funds will be sourced from the Operational Programme for Tourism and Local and Urban Regeneration. Matching capital funds will be sourced through the fund raising strategy which target local and international corporate and individual support. Revenue will be regenerated through gate receipts, touring exhibitions, sponsorship and on site commercial activities. When the market research was conducted for the project, interest in the museum was high with 64% of all those surveyed claiming they would be interested in visiting, with 24% of overseas visitors being prepared to extend their stay in Dublin to visit the Pigeon House Museum. Representatives of the diverse community groups/networks in Ringsend have established the new Pigeon House Trust. Their first task is to establish the Steering Committee of the Pigeon House. This committee will include appropriate representatives from statutory, corporate, community, museum, science, education and tourism interests. The Friends of the Pigeon House Society has now been established, the membership fee is £10 with a concessionary membership of £5 for the unwaged, students and pensioners. Membership entitles you to regular newsletters, privileged opportunities to experience work in progress and participate in what promises to be an exciting programme of promotional activities. Guided tours of the Pigeon House which highlight the famous historical association with the Pigeon House are available and can be arranged to suit your schedule. For further information: Helen Perry Acting Project Director Pigeon House Trust Ringsend and District Community Thorncastle street, Dublin 4 Tel: 6604789 Fax: 6672353 DUBLIN ZOO Conservation Dublin Zoo actively promotes conservation, many of the animals are part of a global plan to preserve and protect endangered species. Snow leopards, rhinoceroses, gorilla, and golden lion tamarins are some of the animals involved in international breeding programmes. Much of the world's wildlife is threatened because their habitat is lost or becomes fragmented or because they are killed by poachers or pollution. Education One of the primary aims of Dublin Zoo is to heighten public awareness about the need for conservation. The Zoo's Education Department is one of the country's most impressive and rapidly expanding educational services, catering for the general public and the educational sector. The general public can avail of educational activities, volunteer programmes, summer camps, young zoologists days and information services at the 'Discovery Centre'. The schools' portfolio carries specialist programmes for pre-school, transition year, junior cert. and foreign students. A further element of the programme provides career development for teachers with summer courses and teachers' days. A wide variety of Education material on animals, conservation and zoo issues is available. Further details from the Education Dept. at 01-6771425 An Introduction to the ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Establishment The Environmental Protection Agency Act, 1992, was enacted on 23 April, 1992 and under this legislation the EPA (Agency) was formally established on 26 July, 1993. EPA Mission Statement To promote and implement the highest practicable standards of environmental management which embrace the principles of sustainable and balanced development. Responsibilities The EPA has a wide range of statutory duties and powers under the Act. The main responsibilities of the Agency include the following: the licensing and regulation of large/complex industrial and other processes with significant polluting potential, on the basis of integrated pollution control (IPC) and the application of best available technologies for this purpose; the monitoring of environmental quality, including the establishment of databases to which the public will have access, and the publication of periodic reports on the state of the environment; advising public authorities in respect of environmental functions and assisting local authorities in the performance of their environmental protection functions; the promotion of environmentally sound practices through, for example, the encouragement of the use of environmental audits, the establishment of an eco-labelling scheme, the setting of environmental quality objectives and the issuing of codes of practice on matters affecting the environment; the promotion and co-ordination of environmental research; the licensing and regulation of all significant waste recovery activities, including landfills and the preparation and updating periodically of a national hazardous waste plan for implementation by other bodies; preparation and implementation of a national hydrometric programme for the collection, analysis and publication of information on the levels, volumes and flows of water in rivers, lakes and groundwaters; and generally overseeing the performance by local authorities of their statutory environmental protection functions. Status The Agency is an independent public body. Its sponsor in Government is the Department of the Environment. Independence is assured through the selection procedures for the Director General and Directors and the freedom, as provided in the legislation, to act on its own initiative. The assignment, under the legislation, of direct responsibility for a wide range of functions underpins this independence. Under the legislation, it is a specific offence to attempt to influence the Agency, or anyone acting on its behalf, in an improper manner. Organisation The Agency's headquarters are located in Wexford and it operates five regional inspectorates, located in Dublin, Cork, Kilkenny, Castlebar and Monaghan. Management The Agency is managed by a full-time Executive board consisting of a Director General and four Directors. The Executive Board is appointed by the Government following detailed procedures laid down in the Act Advisory Committee The Agency is assisted by an Advisory Committee of twelve members. The members are appointed by the Minister for the Environment and are selected mainly from those nominated by organisations with an interest in environmental and developmental matters. The Committee has been given a wide range of advisory functions under the Act, both in relation to the Agency and to the Minister. Further Information: Mr. John Feehan EPA Headquarters Ardcavan, Wexford Ireland Tel: +353 53 47120 Fax: +353 53 47119 Email: j.feehan at epa.ie An iSCAN Directory iSCAN is in the process of producing a Directory of Irish Science Centres for its members, and a database of locations for travelling exhibitions. If you would like to be included in the Directory or database free of charge please complete the enclosed questionnaires and return to iSCAN, c/o RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. RDS YOUTH SCIENCE AND ARTS WEEK The annual Youth Science and Arts week for 14-17 year olds will take place in the RDS from July 7 to 12, 1997. The theme of the event is science and arts with an emphasis on fun and participation. Activities will include talks and visits in science and arts related areas; practical workshops in journalism, dance, drama, sound, and video production; sports, discos, quizzes, debates and more. The number of places is restricted to 250. The cost is £65 to cover all activities except meals (£125 including B&B accommodation) Further information and booking forms available from: Carol Power RDS Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 Phone 6680866 ext. 217 email carol.power at rds.ie EXPLORIS - 3rd June to mid November Sea Myths and Monsters is a special temporary exhibition that brings together some of the fantastic creatures of the sea, both real and imaginary, that fascinate and enthrall us. Meet Local Monsters and Almost Alien creatures. Enter the Danger Zone if you dare and let Fact or Fantasy? set your imagination running. GJSSS '97** IRSA's 3rd Annual G. Johnstone Stoney Summer School is being planned at the moment. This year's venue is Dublin Castle over the weekend of the 20th/21st September 1997. This year's title is "Innovating innovation; The 3Rs: S, T & I: Science, Technology and Innovation in Irish Education" The final programme is not complete at the moment but the several sections will deal with STI in Primary and Secondary Schools, The Third Level, STI discrimination in the education system and where we need to go from here. We are trying, with the help of the French Embassy, to get the President of the College de France, Professor Pierre-Gilles de Gennes and an active STI in Education campaigner to deliver the keynote address. Preliminary expressions of interest (to coin a phrase) would be gratefully accepted. This year, early bookers will be nicely treated! Further details from John Donovan, c/o iSCAN. 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