News

Colonel Chris Hadfield to touch down at the RDS this January

December 3rd 2013

The Main Hall in Dublin’s RDS will welcome some of the brightest young minds in the country as the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition returns in January. This year, Colonel Chris Hadfield, the Canadian astronaut made famous by his interstellar rendition of David Bowie’s Space Oddity, will be making a very special appearance at the exhibition on Saturday, 11th January to sign copies of his new book, An Astronaut’s Guide to Life on Earth.

The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, hosted by TG4’s Roisin Ni Thomain and broadcaster Aidan Power, will be open to the public from Thursday 9th – Saturday 11th January 2014. Tickets are available at the door costing €6 for students, €12 for adults and €25 for a family pass.

The exhibition is a great family day out packed full of fun, creative inventions, interactive education and live shows including World of Robots, The Science Museum ‘SuperCool’ Show, 3D Theatre – 50 years of space exploration and TITAN The Robot.


World renowned coding club Coder Dojo will also feature at the exhibition with workshops teaching creative problem solving skills and practical creative skills to students.

In addition to the 550 student projects on display, there are four more areas packed full of science and technology exhibits making it a must-see event. The annual BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition attracts over 40,000 people each year making it one of the largest events of its kind in Europe.

For information, log onto www.btyoungscientist.com  or check out http://www.facebook.com/BTYSTE, follow on twitter at http://twitter.com/btyste or call 1800 924 362 or from Northern Ireland 0800 917 1297.

ABOUT COLONEL CHRIS HADFIELD

Astronaut | Former Commander of the International Space Station

Since blasting off from Kazakhstan in December 2012, Hadfield has become a worldwide sensation, harnessing the power of social media to make outer space accessible to millions and infusing a sense of wonder into the collective consciousness not felt since man first walked on the moon. Called “the most famous astronaut since Neil Armstrong,” Hadfield, now safely back on Earth, continues to bring the glory of science and space travel to everyone he encounters.

His multiple daily Tweets and photographs from space made people see the world differently. His accessibility, whether answering questions such as, “How do you wring out a washcloth in space,” via Skype or collaborating with The Barenaked Ladies for a song sung by nearly a million people simultaneously, endeared him to all while he orbited Earth.

A heavily decorated astronaut, engineer, and pilot, Hadfield’s many awards include receiving the Order of Ontario, the Meritorious Service Cross, and the NASA Exceptional Service Medal. He was named the Top Test Pilot in both the US Air Force and the US Navy, and has been inducted into Canada’s Aviation Hall of Fame. He is also commemorated on Canadian postage stamps, Royal Canadian Mint silver and gold coins, and on Canada’s newest five dollar bill.