Countdown to the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition
Posted on January 7th, 2010 in Irish Science
We’re counting down to the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exxhibition next week and we’ll post details of our stand shortly. There’s lots of coverage in the media this week about some of the projects we can expect. We thought we’d flag how some of the previous winners are getting along, on our sister site Science.ie we have a story about Eimear O’Carroll and Rhona Togher, group runners up award at the 2009 show.
Eimear and Rhona set up a company – RestoredHearing.ie – with their former physics teacher at Ursuline College in Sligo, Anthony Carolan. For the Young Scientist competition the team devised a simple therapy which eases temporary tinnitus for anyone with internet access and a set of outer ear headphones. Last month their company won the “Emerging Technology Award” at the Connacht provincial final of the Ulster Bank Business Achievers Awards, and they will go on to the national finals later this year.
January 16th, 2010 at 1:34 pm
As some one who has tremendous admiration for the BTYSE and having just attended with a group of students my 9th exhibition, I would like to particularly commend BT for their VERY SIGNIFICANT financial and especially logistical support for the event… having seen many of their volunteer staff members over the past many years I know well that the same people return every year and are amazingly generous with their time and commitment to the activity. I am hoping that BT maintain their link indefinitely – I personally feel that they’ll probably want to take it to the 50th anniversary and hope that the support of DES/Irl Gov, RTE and the media in general will give them a business case to continue beyond this period.
I have a comment on last nights results that some readers might find interesting :
I believe that 329 schools were accepted to the competition finals and what is very positive in the results (Overall and Category*) is their distribution by school (apologies in advance for any errors in my count ):
Of 76 Higher Level Awards:
Only 1 school got 3 awards : Loreto College Coleraine
The following schools had two winners each:
Abbey Christian Bros (Newry?)
Blackwater Comm School, Waterford
St Vincents Secondary School, (Co?)
Kinsale Conmmunity School, Cork
Colaiste Muire, Crosshaven, Cork
Scoil Muire Gan Smal, Blarney, Cork
Gonzaga College, Dublin
Alexandra College , Dublin.
This means that 55 other schools received higher level awards making a total of 66 schools winning such awards ie almost 20% of all schools accepted to the RDS . Many other schools received Special Commendations. Hence it can be seen that our young people are demonstrating their scientific talents across the country and the impact of the BTYSE is very widespread. ( Given the complexity of the judging process and timescales involved I am certain that this distribution was purely driven by individual merit vs any desire to force a distribution which I know for certain (for other reasons) BT would not want).
Great hope for the future.
Best Wishes Eamon