Super Southside scientists shine at the RDS

Dublin People 13 Jan 2017
Louie Lyons, from Sandford Park School, was just one of the bright Southside students whose project was on show at last week’s BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition in the RDS.

STUDY of Brent Geese, a device to generate quantum random numbers, and ‘super superglue’ were just some of the fascinating entries that Southside students were exhibiting at the 53rd BT Young Scientist Exhibition in the RDS last week.

The young Southsiders took their place among some of the brightest students in the country at the exhibition that was opened by the President of Ireland, President Michael D Higgins.

The president told the thousands gathered in the RDS Main Hall of his pride in the students, their teachers and the projects they had created for this year’s event.

“If we wanted to advertise the capacity of Ireland into the future you would just take these projects and show them to the world,” he said.

“May I salute all of you, young scientists and technologists, who have come to the RDS to display the results of your hard work – of a work impelled by your passionate curiosity about the world and its workings, a world that is changing very rapidly, and becoming more vulnerable. “Bringing an understanding to that change and vulnerability is an urgent challenge, and in their different ways your projects do that.”

The president pointed out that 53 years have elapsed since the first Young Scientists’ Exhibition was held in January 1965 in Dublin’s Mansion House.

“That was an Ireland very different from that in which you grew up,” he stated. “What has not changed, however, is the enthusiasm manifested by Irish students and the Irish public at large for the feat of imagination and inventiveness that the Young Scientists’ Exhibition embodies. Right from the beginning, the popularity of the exhibition was such that it had to move from its original location at the Mansion House to its present home in the RDS.”

This year has seen a record number of 2,091 project entries, while attendance has grown to exceed 50,000 visitors annually, making the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition one of the largest events of its kind in Europe, if not the world.

Over the four days of the exhibition 550 science projects from all over the country were on display.

They were chosen from a record 2,091 individual and group entries, involving 4,591 students and 375 schools, which is up two per cent on last year.

Just under two thirds (61 per cent) of this year’s entrants were female, which the organisers consider to be a positive sign that girls’ interest in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) is increasing.

The most popular category for entries was Social and Behavioural Sciences, which accounted for 41 per cent of the projects.

The county with the largest number of entries was Cork, followed by Dublin and Limerick.

Among the Southsiders taking their place at the exhibition was Louie Lyons from Sandford Park School who created a device to generate quantum random numbers for cryptographic applications.

He was joined by Myles Ryan and Kieran McGovern, from Gonzaga College, who conducted a study of Brent Geese on Sandymount Strand as part of their project.

One of the more unusual  Southside entries was that by Blackrock College boys Fergus Woods and Sam O’Carroll who created a new glue made from protein.

Fergus explained that they were inspired to create a new superglue that would act as an even stronger bonding agent than other glues.

However, their glue is created using substances that are safe to use by children.

“We had read a story about a kid who was poisoned after they ate some superglue,” Fergus explained.

“We thought about creating a superglue that would be as strong if not stronger than other superglues but that would also be safe.

“So, we looked at proteins as a suitable agent. There are many different proteins but the one we used we rigorously tested and found that it compared favourably with other superglues on the market.

“It is also safe to eat although we obviously don’t recommend that you eat it.”

It is the first time Fergus and Sam have been involved in the exhibition and they have been amazed by the experience.

“The whole place is buzzing,” enthused Fergus. “It’s quite extraordinary, with emotions running high.”

As proud as they are of their project, both boys remained modest about their chances of winning a prize at the exhibition.

“There are so many amazing projects here that are incredible,” Fergus admitted. “We were blown away by some of them. The standard has been quite high.”

Running alongside the main event was the RDS Primary Science Fair, which is now in its eighth year.

Here, hundreds of fourth, fifth and sixth class pupils from all over the country displayed their science, technology, engineering and maths projects in a non-competitive forum.

Other events taking place over the week included The Ultimate Science Show, Discover the Cosmos 3D and another show by mentalist David Meade.

On Thursday, the former Manchester United and England footballer Rio Ferdinand and Graeme Hackland, the IT Director at Formula 1 Team Williams dropped in for an event that encourages young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to pursue a career in STEM.

Rio Ferdinand said “The Rio Ferdinand Foundation, ACN and BT share a vision to help young people develop the skills and confidence they need to reach their potential through education and employment. We’re already working closely in Great Britain to make a difference in some of the country’s most deprived communities and I’m thrilled to be able to extend that impact throughout the island of Ireland.”

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