Science Week 2026 brought space careers into focus with a live broadcast from Microsoft Dream Space, hosted by content creator Shanice Griffin alongside Research Ireland and ESERO Ireland, RTÉ reported.
The event targeted post-primary students, specifically Transition Year and Senior Cycle participants, as well as anyone curious about entering the space sector without prior experience. ESERO Ireland organized the sessions to showcase professional pathways through direct interviews and interactive workshops.
The opening segment featured Chloe Lawlor, an Astrophysics PhD student at the University of Galway, discussing her discovery of new exoplanets. Alongside her, Prof Caitriona Jackman, a Senior Professor at the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies (DIAS), detailed her work leading a research group focused on Planetary Magnetospheres.
Following the researcher interviews, Amanda Jolliffe from the Microsoft Ireland Dream Space Team led an interactive session designed for student engagement.
Dr Rob Conway-Kenny, European Space Agency (ESA) Phi-Lab Ireland Manager based at Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) in Mullingar, spoke during the third segment of the broadcast. Conway-Kenny discussed his role within the ESA framework and the practical applications of space research handled through the Mullingar facility.
The final segment shifted to an open Q&A session where host Shanice Griffin fielded questions from both the in-person student audience and online viewers, directing them to Lawlor, Jackman, and Conway-Kenny.
Students and educators seeking further guidance can access additional learning materials and program details directly through the ESERO Ireland website, while broader updates on Science Week events remain available via RTÉ. Meanwhile, the academic calendar lists 1,602 upcoming astronomy and astrophysics conferences spanning 81 countries for 2026 and 2027, according to All Conference Alert data.
