Science Week, the annual celebration organised by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), is due to kick off this weekend with a host of online and in-person events taking place from November 7th to November 14th.

This year's event is supporting the government's Creating Our Future campaign, which calls on the public to submit ideas for research to make our country better for all.

So if you have ever sat in front of the news or read a newspaper and thought to yourself "I have a good idea to solve that" or "I could solve that issue," now is your chance to share it.

The ideas gathered through Science Week Creating Our Future will be used to provide inspiration for future research projects.

Submit your idea for research and shape our future

COVID-19 has taught us all that working together is the only way to face societal challenges effectively. That is why the Creating Our Future campaign wants to gather ideas from the public – so the future direction of our research is informed by the people it serves.

To submit your idea, head on over to www.creatingourfuture.ie. Have multiple good ideas to share? That's okay too. You can actually share up to 5 ideas in one single submission.

If you're not sure where to get started, here are some handy tips to help:

• What are the opportunities or challenges you see for yourself, your community, Ireland or the world?
• Is there a topic you are curious or passionate about that you would like researchers to explore further?

You can also visit the campaign's inspiration page for more.

A week to remember

Speaking about the annual event, Director General, Science Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government of Ireland, Prof. Mark Ferguson said:

“Science Week has been such an important week in our calendar for over two decades and I am delighted to see it growing every year. As we have come through a challenging period for the world, we have seen the best of what science and research has to offer in creating a better future for us all, and I am delighted to say that Irish scientists, doctors and researchers have played a fundamental role throughout the pandemic.

As we move out of the pandemic and really think about the future that we want for ourselves and future generations, we all have an opportunity to have our voice heard through the Creating Our Future campaign. I would encourage everyone to submit their ideas and views to the platform as well as engaging with Science Week through our events and digital activity; there really is something for everyone."

In total, there will be 14 Science Week Festivals taking place across the country this year in Cork, Cavan/Monaghan, Sligo, Galway, Limerick, Tipperary, Mayo, Wexford, Kilkenny, Kerry, Southeast, the Midlands and the Teagasc Festival of Farming and Food.

Some of the virtual events on offer include 12 different pre-recorded Science Shows for Primary Schools, a look at memory and neuroscience with Ginny Smith, a science magic show with Matt Pritchard, and even more.

To learn more and see a full list of the events and workshops taking place, visit: www.scienceweek.ie.