Budding Einsteins put to the test

Niall Murray, Education Correspondent

Entrants from schools on both sides of the Border spent yesterday afternoon setting up their displays.

While the exhibition does not open to the public until tomorrow, the panel of judges will start the onerous task of assessing all 480 projects in a number of categories this afternoon.

That will be followed by the official opening of this year’s event by Communications Minister Noel Dempsey. Prizes will be awarded in each subject area, including the overall title of Young Scientist of the Year, and will be presented by President Mary McAleese on Friday evening.

The event is open to the public and for school tours tomorrow, Friday and Saturday, with a host of attractions also lined up by the organisers. Among these is the In Search of the Dinosaur area, featuring an almost lifesize Tyrannosaurus Rex.

The 2005 exhibition will also host Robot Wars in which entrants will compete for the Young Scientists Challenge Shield and future entrants can learn how to build their own robot at workshops.

A play called Albert Einstein Meets Doctor Who has been written especially for the event and will be performed for the public, while Weapons of Sound will demonstrate how to make music out of anything recyclable.