Cabinteely student wins prize in national crystal competition

A STUDENT from Cabinteely Community School has been awarded a prize in a National Crystal Growing Competition, which was launched as part of Science Week.

Dominika Dacus won one of the second runner-up prizes in the competition that was held at the University of Limerick.

 “Crystals come in all different shapes and sizes and can be found everywhere in nature,” said Prof Kieran Hodnett, Scientific Director with the Synthesis and Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre (SSPC).

“Most of the medicines we take are made up of compacted powders and the individual particles of the powders are in fact tiny crystals.”  

Following the great success of the 2014 SSPC National Crystal Growing Competition, which was launched as part of Science Week to celebrate the International Year of Crystallography 2014, the SSPC announced the winners of the 2015 SSPC National Crystal Growing Competition at the University of Limerick.

The competition was open to primary and post-primary schools in Ireland and aimed at students who were challenged to grow a single crystal from a variety of compounds such as salt (Sodium Chloride), alum, sugar, or copper sulphate.

Professor Hodnett added: “The SSPC National Crystal Growing Competition is of significant importance as not only has it enabled students to grow their own crystals, but it has also in-creased students’ awareness and understanding of the importance of crystals in our lives today.”

At the award ceremony, Professor Michael Zaworotko, SSPC collaborator and University of Limerick’s Bernal Chair of Crystal Engineering added: “As someone who appreciates the beauty and importance of crystals, it excites me to see the high level of energy and dedication shown by the students and their teachers involved in the SSPC National Crystal Growing Competition. Congratulations to all our winners as the standard of crystals were of a very high quality.”

Growing crystals takes time and the best crystals are those which have grown slowly. The fi-nal judgement is based largely on fundamentals such as the crystal definition, clarity, size and overall quality. The judging panel for the SSPC National Crystal Growing Competition complimented the excellent standard of entries.

The crystals submitted to the SSPC National Crystal Growing Competition will be kept on public display at SSPC headquarters at the University of Limerick. This event was supported by the University of Limerick.