Web Links

Armagh Observatory (http://www.arm.ac.uk)

This site gives details of events taking place at one of Ireland's most important astronomical observatories, and visitors can navigate to find out more about astronomical topics. The site also has details of scientific papers published on astronomical topics by people working at the observatory, and a good news area, with information updated regularly.

Discover Science & Engineering (http://www.science.ie)

This is the website of the Discover Science & Engineering programme, which is managed by the state agency Forfás. The site has news stories, a comprehensive science events database, and a list of links to many interesting and useful science websites across many disciplines. There is also information about science careers as well as information aimed at parents and the media. This site is well worth and look and has improved hugely since it was revamped.

Dublin Naturalists' Field Club (http://www.dnfc.net)

This Field Club is a society open to everyone interested in wildlife. The site has news of current activities. This club would be ideal for those wishing to know more about the natural environment around the Greater Dublin Area, with new members that are beginners gaining the opportunity to increase their recognition and identification skills for various flora or fauna by learning from others. For potential new members with specific expertise there is and opportunity to share that knowledge with others.

 

Geological Survey of Ireland (http://www.gsi.ie/)

This is the website of the GSI, which is the Irish National Earth Science Agency, founded in 1845. This comprehensive site will be of interest to all who want to know more about the rocks, water and soils of Ireland, whether that person is a representative of a professional mining company seeking new exploration targets, or a secondary school student researching a project about their local landscape.

Higher Education Authority (http://www.hea.ie/)

The latest education news and the latest official publications from one of Ireland's most important educational and funding bodies. There is information on capital and recurrent funding, research programmes, policy and planning issues, some useful statistics and a good online Irish web links area.

Invasive Species Ireland (http://www.invasivespeciesireland.com/)

Invasive species are those plants and animals that invade an area that is not their own, which can threaten the variety, or biodiversity, of natural species already living there. This well-presented site has a 'most unwanted' list of the worst 'invasive' species in Ireland including the New Zealand flatworm threatens our native earthworm, the grey squirrel threatens the native red squirrel, and that nasty feral ferret that threatens some of our protected bird species? There are some real case studies from around Ireland and plenty of opportunity for professionals working in the field to get involved, or for people to report sightings.

Irish Research Council for Science Engineering and Technology (http://www.ircset.ie/)

IRCSET, the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology, is the funding body for early career researchers, and the site includes a lot of news and reports of interest to science students. There are details here of the range of IRCSET grant schemes for post-grads, post-docs and people at third-level institutes conducting basic research.

 

Monitoring African Biodiversity (http://www-tem.jrc.it/pa)

This superb site set up the EC's Joint Research Centre, has an enormous amount of information about Africa's biodiversite. The goal is to help those working to conserve biodiversity in Africa to make the case for funding support to decision-makers. The website is updated every 10 days and covers 741 protected areas, across 50 countries, providing information on 280 mammals, 381 bird species and 930 amphibian species - along with a wide range of climatic, environmental and socioeconomic aspects. It's a truly fantastic resource for anyone working in biodiversity in Africa, or for academics interested in studying this topic.

Musings of a Physics Teacher (http://ozymandias1.wordpress.com/)

Some great and offbeat views on science and society. This teacher argues that U Tube has valid educational resources and should not be blocked in many schools. To make the point, there are U Tube videos here to demonstrate concepts such as inertia vectors, temperature and pressure. There is also a demonstration video of how to use an interactive whiteboard that could be of interest to teachers interesting in trying out new teaching methods.

Science Foundation Ireland (http://www.sfi.ie/)

Information here on this statuatory body set up in 2000 to support scientists working in Ireland in the fields of biotechnology and ICT. The site has information on current SFI-funded research programmes, an overview of SFI grants and awards, as well as an active press and media area.

Sustainable Energy Ireland (http://www.sei.ie/)

This website of Ireland's national energy agency, which was set up by the government in 2002, has a section for those interested in improving energy efficiency at home, and another for those seeking to do the same in their businesses. There is plenty of information about the various types of renewable energy, as well as information for schools, grant information, an extensive publication list and a news and events section.

The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (http://www.dias.ie)

The Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies has three schools, Celtic Studies, Theoretical Physics, and Cosmic Physics, and the site carries short items of news about fundamental research in such areas as astrophysics and grid computing. There is also information on happenings at the three schools and details about research vacancies.

The Marine Institute (http://www.marine.ie)

This website has lots of information on important marine areas in Ireland, including aquaculture, fisheries, ocean energy, operational programmes, research vessels, sea change strategy, shipping and surveys. There are also details on the range of services provided by the Institute, its funding programmes, its publications and data, and its events and outreach activities.

 

 

Wildlife Resource (http://www.biology.ie)

This website was set up in September 2005 to collect data on natural events - such as the first appearance of leaves or a particular flowering plant - and to place these recordings on a map of Ireland for all to see. The idea is to create awareness of Ireland's plants and animals and to allow the Irish public to contribute their experiences of nature, through sightings, blogs and forums. It works well, and is an ideal website to help, for example, secondary school students, doing a project on wildlife in their own particular areas.