Four Clare Schools sees students awarded at 56th BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition

STUDENTS from four Clare schools won awards at the 56th BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in the RDS in Dublin yesterday evening.

Students from Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna; St John Bosco Community College, Kildysart; Coláiste Mhuire, Ennis; and St Anne’s of Killaloe picked up awards.

The Clare students were recognised for their projects in the categories of: Biological and Ecological Sciences, Technology and Chemical, Physical & Mathematical Sciences.

In total there were 17 projects representing Clare at BTYSTE 2020.

Cormac Harris and Alan O’Sullivan, both fourth year students aged 16, from Coláiste Choilm, County Cork, took home the top prize for a project entitled “A statistical investigation into the prevalence of gender stereotyping in 5-7 year olds and the development of an initiative to combat gender bias”.

The 2020 BT Young Scientist & Technology winners received the BTYSTE perpetual trophy and the top prize of €7,500. The lucky winners will also represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists, which takes place in Santander, Spain in September 2020. Cormac and Alan will also get to attend the 62^nd Annual London International Youth Science Forum later in the year.

Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh TD, said, “Congratulations to all the students at this year’s BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition and in particular to Cormac and Alan on their fantastic project, well-deserved winners. The atmosphere of excitement, creativity and fun at the RDS this week has been incredible. I am particularly pleased to see so many young people tackling some of the most important issues facing us, from climate change to health, to technology, ethics and societal change. The students are a credit to their families, schools and teachers and they should rightly be proud of being here. They are a huge inspiration.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in the unique and brilliant event that the BTYSTE is; the organisers; the 83 judges; the dedicated teachers; and of course, the mothers, fathers and families whose support is absolutely key to this.”

Shay Walsh, Managing Director, BT Ireland said, “Congratulations to all of our participants, and particularly to all our winners. For more than five decades, the Exhibition has shown the ingenuity of Ireland’s youth, and this year’s Exhibition is no exception. The students at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition have sought creative and innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues, and that spirit and drive is to be commended. We say “Create Today, Shape Tomorrow” at the exhibition and it really is only the beginning. From the young students involved in The Primary Science Fair to secondary students at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, it is vitally important that every student’s voyage of discovery does not end here.”