The Marine Institute and the Explorers Education Programme will showcase marine science at the 2025 Galway Science and Technology Festival. Families are invited to Bailey Allen Hall at the University of Galway on Sunday 9th November from 10am to 5pm to explore the hidden world of phytoplankton.

The exhibition will feature interactive games, films and quizzes that show the tools scientists use to study these microscopic organisms. Children will discover species that create bioluminescent blooms along the coast and learn about the chalk-building organisms that have formed famous land formations. The event will also launch the new Phytoplankton Mighty Microscopic Marvels books and educational resources for young learners.

Cushla Dromgool-Regan of the Explorers Education Programme said the festival offered a unique opportunity for children and parents to engage with the ocean’s microscopic world. Visitors will be able to use microscopes to see these tiny species magnified and learn how they sustain the marine ecosystem.

Dr Nóirín Burke added that phytoplankton are essential for the marine food web and produce much of the oxygen we breathe. She encouraged teachers to visit the stand to explore how the new module could be used in classrooms to create engaging science, technology, engineering, arts and maths projects and promote ocean literacy.

As part of the festival programme, the Marine Institute will also present The Wild Atlantic – Sea Science exhibition at Galway City Museum from 11th to 21st November. Primary school groups can take part in tours and workshops to learn about historic shipwrecks and how modern technology is used to map the ocean floor. Workshops delivered by Lindsay Deely of Toodleou Creativity Lab will allow students to create miniature worlds and explore biodiversity, habitats and the importance of balance in ecosystems. Places are limited and bookings can be made through Galway City Museum on 091 532 460.

The free Wild Atlantic – Sea Science exhibition is open year-round and features seabed mapping, scientific discoveries and deep-sea creatures. Visitors can explore ocean depths in the Remotely Operated Vehicle Simulator to discover cold-water corals, shipwrecks and rare shark nurseries.

The Explorers Education Programme will also feature at the Let’s Talk Science Festival in Dublin on 8th November and will host online workshops on 12th November for general audiences and 13th November in Irish. Bookings and further information are available at www.explorers.ie.