Young scientists set up exhibition spectacle

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.

The organisers have promised a spectacular scientific display when the exhibition opens tomorrow, including the students’ exhibits, Sony’s robotic dog “Aibo” and science magic shows from the Irish Discovery Centre, called W5, in Belfast.

“We had 29,000 visitors last year and are expecting 35,000 this year, including 130 school tours,” competition spokeswoman Gillian McLoughlin said.

Judging of the Young Scientist Exhibition will begin later in the afternoon and the winner will be announced on Friday.

More than 480 projects have made the final cut, out of 910 entrants. Over 2,500 students from 30 counties have taken part this year.

“The standard of entries has dramatically increased and that’s a very positive sign. It’s getting harder to get through to the exhibition so it’s a massive accolade for whoever does,” said Ms McLoughlin.

Exhibits on display include a project on the movement of periwinkles. Laura Sims from the Mary Immaculate Secondary School in Lisdoonvarna, Co Clare, studied periwinkles on four different sea shores.

Meanwhile, Daniel Larkin from Nagle Community College, Blackrock, Cork, has created a mathematical formula to do the perfect wheelie on a motorbike or bicycle.

The winner of the Esat BT Young Scientist of the Year 2003 will receive a cheque for €3,000, a Waterford Crystal trophy and the chance to represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists.

A professor at the College of Science in the University of Limerick said the exhibition showed young people how exciting science could be.

“When schoolkids see scientific experiments being performed, they get terribly excited and they develop an interest in science. So the Young Scientist Exhibition is very worthwhile,” said Professor Julian Ross.

The exhibition opens to the public from tomorrow until Saturday. Doors open from 10am-5.30pm daily. A family ticket for two adults and two students or children costs €20. Adult tickets cost €8 and €4 for students, under-18s and senior citizens.