Teens triumph

TWO Northside girls won the top prize at the recent Big Bang Fair NI incorporating Sentinus Young Innovators.  

Loreto Secondary School Balbriggan students Cleo Gallen and Zainab Shahid will now represent the competition at the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Anaheim, California, with an all-expenses paid trip in May 2020. 

Their project is focused on finding an environmentally friendly and biodegradable alternative to plastic microbeads which are used in various cosmetics and personal care products. 

This results in the microbeads ending up in rivers and oceans where they harm marine life. 

The project impressed the judges who believed it was trying to tackle a hugely significant and topical issue and as such was strong enough to compete in the global competition next year.

Meanwhile, Kate Caffrey and Eve Matthews, also students at Loreto Balbriggan, were awarded the Young Scientists Overall Winner prize for their project on promoting healthier eating through taste innovation. 

They received £200 and a trophy as well as a nomination to attend the UK wide Big Bang Competition in March 2020 in Birmingham. 

The Balbriggan girls joined more than 3,000 young people from over 130 schools across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, during the exhibition at Ulster University’s Jordanstown campus, one of the largest science and engineering events of its kind on the island and across the UK.

Students showcased their science projects solving real world problems and competed for a variety of prizes. The event was organised by Sentinus, an educational charity.