Whizz-kids set to do battle for science awards

THE RDS will be abuzz with activity early next month when a record number of students compete for top prizes in the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2007.

From the afternoon of Tuesday, January 9, more than 1,000 entrants will begin setting up their displays at the Dublin venue. They have been chosen from among the 2,500-plus students who submitted 1,278 projects for consideration earlier this year — the highest number in the event’s history.

The first evening will involve those from the capital’s schools lucky enough to make it to this stage getting their stands ready, with those from the rest of the country arriving on January 10.

The exhibition opens to the public on January 11, by which stage judging will be well underway. The judges work assessing the 1,278 projects will continue through until lunchtime on Friday, January 12 and the winners will hear the good news at teatime.

The public can continue to see all the projects until the exhibition closes on the evening of January 13.

The winners will be hoping to emulate the success of this year’s winner, 15-year-old Aisling Judge.

The student of Kinsale Community School in Co Cork went on to claim a third prize at the EU Contest for Young Scientists in Sweden in September for her project to develop a device capable of telling householders when packaged food is no longer suitable for consumption.