61st BT YOUNG SCIENTIST & TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION BEGINS TODAY

Over 1,000 students from across the island of Ireland will flood through the doors of the RDS to participate in the 61^st Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, which represents the 25^th year that BT Ireland has stewarded the exhibition.  

The participants will begin their unforgettable BTYSTE experience this morning, setting up their projects and preparing for the first round of judging, which will be carried out by 85 leading experts from Ireland’s science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) academic and industry sectors.

The first round of judging will be completed after the official opening of the exhibition this afternoon by President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins.  

A supporter of the BTYSTE for many years, President Higgins’ address to students and their teachers this afternoon will be particularly momentous as it will be his last in office.

Throughout President Higgins’ terms in office, his championing of the exhibition has inspired many young people to explore their passion for STEM by entering the BTYSTE.

The opening ceremony will be streamed live from 2pm on the BTYSTE website and on Facebook Live. 

 As the RDS Dublin fills up with many young people seeking to change the world for the better, BT Ireland, in partnership with Business in the Community Ireland (BITC) and the American Chamber (AmCham), will hold an exclusive Executive Leaders Forum for business leaders this morning.

This year’s forum will focus on the importance of collaboration for expanding Ireland’s STEM pipeline.  

Broadcaster Áine Kerr will MC today’s Forum, and speakers will include Managing Director of BT Ireland, Shay Walsh, as well as 2024 BTYSTE winner Seán O’Sullivan, who will talk about the importance of fostering STEM interest from an early age.

Companies represented at the event’s panels include IDA Ireland, American Chamber, Analog Devices, NOW Group, Fidelity Ireland, and ServiceNow.  

Speaking ahead of the first day of the exhibition today, Mari Cahalane, Head of the BTYSTE said: “This year marks 25 years since BT Ireland became custodian of the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition and is an extremely special occasion for me as I have been privileged be part of the organisational proceedings on behalf of BT Ireland since then.

“Since its inception in the 1960s, the exhibition epitomises BT Ireland’s purpose, ‘connect for good’, setting many of the brightest young minds that this country has ever seen on the path to change the world, and we could not be prouder to help evolve this incredible event in the last twenty-five years.”

BT Ireland’s team of almost 180 volunteers will be ensuring that the participants and their teachers will enjoy a BTYSTE experience this year that they will never forget.

I would like to thank them for all their hard work, and to our esteemed guest, President Higgins, for his unwavering support over the years, helping us and all involved keep the BTYSTE prominently on the national agenda each year. 

The BTYSTE opens to the public from Thursday, January 09 to Saturday, January 11, with a full programme of fantastic events and special acts for everyone to enjoy, including all student projects being on display throughout.

Additionally, over 60 brilliant stands from the exhibition’s partners, including the Department of Education, Analog Devices, Amgen, RTE, Stripe, BT, Re-turn, Permanent TSB, will be on display in the RDS. 

Tickets to the BTYSTE can be purchased at https://ticketing.btyoungscientist.com or at the venue.

Visitors can plan their visit to the RDS in advance by downloading the?free?BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition app, available on Android and Apple devices.

Full of helpful information, the app includes an exhibition map, a search tool for student projects and exhibitors, a schedule of events, as well as links to the BTYSTE social networks for live updates throughout the event.? 

For more information on the exhibition, please visit the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition website or follow @BTYSTE on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), YouTube or Snapchat.