STUDENTS have been making an exhibition of themselves for 50 years at the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.

We must aspire to be a republic of creativity, President Michael D Higgins declared as he opened the 50th BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in the RDS, Dublin.

The word science comes from the Latin ‘scientia’ meaning ‘knowledge’. Scientists strive to understand nature, from sub-atomic particles to the structure of the universe, from the origins of life to saving lives.

The 2011 winner of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, Alexander Amini, has been awarded first prize in engineering at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists in Helsinki today.

BT Young Scientist of the Year 2010 Richard O’Shea was awarded the Adene Special Prize for his work in the field of energy at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists in Portugal last night.

SOMALIA-BORN Abdusalam Abubakar, who found a way to crack the encryption system used by banks and the military to keep information secure, is this year’s BT Young Scientist of the Year.

A Limerick student who designed a new computer programming language tonight won the Esat BT Young Scientist of the Year.

A RECORD number of students will visit the Esat BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition at the RDS in Dublin.

STUDENTS from all over the country are busy setting up stands at the RDS in Dublin today to compete for the prize of Young Scientist of the Year.