The Pfizer Science Bus

On 27 March 2000 The Irish Centre for Talented Youth (CTYI) at Dublin City University launched a new craft which aims to go where no one has gone before, exploring chemistry, physics and biology with young people countrywide.

Developed at a cost of half a million pounds (IR), the full-size coach, sporting the motto "A Journey of Discovery " has been fitted out as a working science laboratory designed to excite and capture the imagination of 9-12 year old students.

The Science Bus is sponsored by Pfizer Inc, the global pharmaceutical company, and has been generously funded by the DCU Education Trust and The Pfizer Foundation, an independent charitable foundation established by Pfizer Inc. Pfizer has had a manufacturing facility in Ringaskiddy, Co. Cork for more than 25 years where over 450 people are employed in the production of a range of medicines for human and veterinary use around the world.

The Science Bus project was developed by the Centre for Talented Youth at Dublin City University. The Centre has helped almost 7.000 students with exceptional academic ability to learn about subjects as diverse as biotechnology, archaeology and electronics.

The Pfizer Science Bus will travel to Primary Schools all over Ireland for day visits. Tailored to complement the new primary science curriculum, the bus will be staffed by experienced instructors who will help students discover the excitement and relevance of science in everyday life. Students will see that science is fun, which may encourage many of them to study science subjects at second and third level. Material for follow-up class work will be available to the schools.

The Pfizer Science Bus is going on the road at a time when educators and policy makers are calling for change in science education. The Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (ICSTI), announced recently that employers are finding it increasingly difficult to fill vacancies for jobs in high tech sectors, despite excellent pay scales. Meanwhile, teachers are being instructed to increase science programmes, but often lack the laboratory facilities to do so. Dr. Sheila Gilheany, Director of the Irish Centre for Talented Youth (CTYI), said Pfizer had a long-standing interest in developing young talent in Ireland, having supported courses such as pharmacology for CTYI students. "This partnership between Pfizer and CTYI to put a Science Bus on the road is opportune given the introduction of science to the primary school curriculum, " Dr. Gilheany said. "The most frequently heard remark from children who have been on the Science Bus is 'I want to be a scientist when I grow up'. Let's hope we can build on that enthusiasm," added Dr Gilheany.

As qualified young scientists themselves, the crew of the Pfizer Science Bus - Ms. Ita Murphy and Dr. Michele O'Rourke - are aware that girls in particular do not always see science as a path to a career. Ita and Michele are keen to pass on their expertise to children interested in asking questions about the world they live in.

Ms Murphy is from Skibbereen in Co Cork and has a BSc in Chemistry from UCC and a Masters Degree in Science Communication. She has worked in science centres in Australia and has presented "ScienceWorks" Roadshows in Ireland.

Dr. O'Rourke is originally from Tralee, Co Kerry and holds a degree in Biotechnology from NUI Galway and a PhD in Molecular Microbiology from the University of Sheffield, She was involved with a major EU-funded research programme before joining the project.

The Pfizer Science Bus Irish Centre for Talented Youth Dublin City University Dublin 9, Ireland Tel: +353 1 704 5090 Fax: +353 1 704 5693 Email: sciencebus@dcu.ie