Profile

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Niamh Shaw

Just chatted with Pipers Hill College- awesome questions too !

Curriculum Vitae

  • Work History:

    London Underground, University College Cork, University College Dublin, A crane hire company in Australia, Blackrock Castle Observatory Cork

  • Current Job:

    I work with everyone at Blackrock Castle in their school events about Space. But right now, I’m currently in Australia, with my show ‘To Space’ about my dream to go Space and that we have to hold on to our Dreams. Then I go to Brisbane to speak about the way I put Space on stage at the World Science Festival

  • Employer:

    I’m the Artist in Residence at CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory in Cork, but I kind of work for myself really.

  • My Work: I’m someone who combines the creative part of my brain with my science brain to tell science and Space stories to a general audience in lots of different ways

  • Read more

    When I was in school I really liked science and maths subjects. So I went to college and did a degree in Engineering. And then I kept studying and did a Masters Degree in Engineering and then I did a PhD in Science. During all of this though, I also wanted to work in something creative but couldn’t figure out a way to do that as an engineer. So after I finished my PhD, I became an actor and learned how to perform, and then I realised that I could tell stories about science as an actor and also speaking to the public. And thats kind of what I do now.

    I make shows and events that promote space and science and I bring them to Science Festivals, Arts festivals and other family events. I have a dream that I want to go to Space, to inspire everyone to Dream Big and to tell everyone about the importance of research and the work happening at the European Space Agency to understand our place in the Universe. I made a show about Space called  ’To Space’  and my dream to go to Space and I’m currently in Australia performing that show.

    I visit schools and companies and I try to get people to think about Science and Maths differently and get them to see these subjects as tools to make really great stuff. I will be speaking at the World Science Festival in Brisbane Australia in a couple of weeks about the importance of telling stories about Science- in shows, and in movies and books etc.

    Because I used to be an actor and I use these skills to help scientists and engineers learn how to speak about their work. Sometimes I perform comedy about science and help scientists do the same in an event called ‘Bright Club’.

  • My Typical Day: Every day is completely different- sometimes I’m making a new show, sometimes I’m writing a piece for radio, sometimes I’m meeting research institutes to help them explain their science to the public

  • What I'd do with the money: If I won, I would buy an Oculus rift, programme some virtual reality software about Space and bring it to schools as part of my talks about Space

  • Read more

    I think people like to experience things when you are explaining science to them, and cool gadgets like virtual reality can help me show people science and Space stuff in a really exciting way. So if I won the money, I would like to adapt the show I bring to schools about Space and explain weightlessness using the Oculus Rift. That way I could bring to life what I’m trying to explain and it would help people better understand what Space is like.

    And of course, once I have this virtual reality software written, I would come visit all the schools I spoke to as part of the competition and share with them what I know about Space and all the stuff I learned on my Space Studies programme and all the astronauts I met.

  • My Interview

    • How would you describe yourself in 3 words?

      Creative, logical, curious

      What's the best thing you've done in your career?

      I worked for the Tube, London Underground transport system & I loved that job, cos I got to check out the trains, and walk down the tunnels at night & worked with so many different people from different departments to fix some of the problems happening on the trains.

      What or who inspired you to follow your career?

      My Dad, definitely. He’s retired now, but he worked as an engineer too. He encouraged me to learn how to change plugs and read encyclopaedias (they were really big books of facts, sorted alphabetically, that you would look up for information, before Google & the internet) and he bought me my first computer too. I think he could see that I liked figuring things out & encouraged me to use it in lots of interesting ways.

      What did you want to be after you left school?

      I didnt really know- I liked numbers and was pretty logical, so engineering seemed like the right choice. But I did also want to be an actor, so I was a little confused. I wish I had met an astronaut, or other people working in the Space industry, because then I would definitely have applied to the European Space Agency for a job.

      Were you ever in trouble at school?

      I talked A LOT in school and used to get VERY giddy. That would only happen when I would get bored in class, so it never happened in the like science, or Maths. Usually in Home Economics. Miss Egan didnt like me a lot, because of that – she was my Home Economics teacher – I STILL hate cookery, lol

      If you weren't doing this job, what would you choose instead?

      Well, even though my job is not a ‘normal’ engineering job, I still think that I use my engineering every day in what I do. Being an engineer is more about the way you view problems and figuring out to solve them. Its more than a job. Its an attitude!

      Who is your favourite singer or band?

      Oh, dear, I usually listen to instrumental music which is selected for me on Spotify based on my previous tunes, so I don’t have a favourite singer really. But if I HAD to give a name, I would say Goldfrapp

      What's your favourite food?

      Pancakes!! The fluffy ones, with LOTS of Maple Syrup

      What is the most fun thing you've done?

      I jumped out of a plane once, I went to Space School (called the Space Studies Programme) & met loads of Astronauts,

      If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!

      To visit the International Space Station and report back to everyone what its like, To visit the Moon, To inspire all of you to Dream Big

      Tell us a joke.

      What do you get if you cross an Elephant with a Rhinoceros? Answer: Ell-if-I-know!!

Questions answered by Niamh

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