We need new generations of people who know about the Earth – what are we doing about It … in Ireland?

Geologists, Geoscientists, or Earth Scientists – however we identify or whatever we do in our daily work, we are needed for stable human habitation on our planet in the future. Although people who know and understand the Earth are needed, there has been a decline in the number of people considering the possibility of entering our professions. What are we doing about it in Ireland? 

Ireland has a relatively good education system and a population with an interest in natural science, and yet the Earth-related sciences do not feature strongly in the national curriculum at primary nor secondary level, there is no national science museum, and with teachers lacking the tools to inspire students, very few students are doing degrees in the Earth sciences and continuing in careers in those areas. 

Various professional, cultural, and educational organisations have been working separately and together to address this issue in the last few years, and while the feedback is encouraging, and progress is being made, there is a lot more to be done. Some of the activities include a temporary exhibition at the national museum, a primetime television series, professional scientists input to national curriculum development, sponsoring of national young scientist prize, co-creation of teaching resources, teacher workshops, and an increase in publicly funded outreach projects.

As we look towards the next phase of activities and plans in a crowded and busy field of science communications and messaging, we need to learn from international best practice, place ourselves in the global context, and work together in a co-ordinated way to inspire the next generations to enable humans to question, understand, and live sustainably on the Earth.