A NORTHSIDE school claimed three top awards at Northern Ireland’s largest science fair.
Loreto Secondary School, Balbriggan, collected the awards at the Sentinus Young Innovators Exhibition.
Meibh O’Sullivan and Isabelle Martin claimed the Young Scientist Overall Winner award for their project which looked at the effects of taking photos on memory and forgetfulness.
Lauren Murphy won the Intel Young Innovator Award for her project – an aid for the rehabilitation of a clenched fist in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Dr Niamh Kelly completed the hat-trick for the north county Dublin school when she won the Intel Teacher of Excellence award. This year over 500 competitors were among approximately 3,000 people who attended the show at Ulster University, Jordanstown, on June 23.
Over 150 projects competed to win 80 prizes including an opportunity to represent the region in a number of international science and engineering competitions in America and the UK.
Alongside the exhibition and competition, attendees were treated to a number of interactive shows designed to bring science to life. BBC One Show’s resident TV scientist, Dr Marty Jopson, delivered his
‘Record Breaking Science’ show where he delved into the science behind his recent TV world record successes.
The annual science showcase celebrates the achievements of young people in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). It centred on an exhibition of innovative and exciting science projects carried out by students from primary and secondary schools across the island of Ireland.
The projects covered a wide range of subjects and real world challenges including:
?¢ Development of an eczema sleep suit to aid eczema sufferers
?¢ An investigation into the use of rainwater as a renewable energy source
?¢ Development of a farm safety app to promote safety on the farm
?¢ A cellular analysis on the effects of garlic extract on cancer cell growth
?¢ An investigation into how social media can affect mood and either make you happy or sad
?¢ Development of a self-build electric car
?¢ A mathematical analysis of winning number patterns in the National Lottery draws
The annual event is organised by Sentinus, an educational charity working with over 60,000 young people a year in Northern Ireland to deliver fun and rewarding programmes that promote engagement in STEM subjects.
Further details about the event can be found at www.sentinus.co.uk