Budding Einsteins gear up for young scientist event

THE cream of Ireland’s budding Einsteins will fill the RDS in Dublin next week as the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition kicks off 2009.

The annual science fest & is the largest event of its kind in Europe and organisers had to select 500 projects from the record 1,616 entries. Students representing their schools are among more than 3,700 individuals and teams from every county in Ireland to have submitted projects in hope of being selected among the prize winners on January 9.

The overall BT Young Scientist of the Year will take home a cheque for €5,000 and a trophy, and will go on to represent Ireland at the EU Contest for Young Scientists later next year.

Separately, If the outright winner next week is an individual, there’s also a “best group” prize — and vice versa: if a group wins out, a “best individual” prize is awarded. In either case, recipient will be awarded €2,400 and a trophy.

The organisers will also present trophies and cheques for €1,200 to an individual runner-up and group runner-up. The students will be arriving at the RDS from January 6 to set up their project stalls in the hope of impressing the judges. The judging begins on Wednesday, January 7 and the exhibition opens to the public on Thursday until Saturday evening,January 10.

The all-island exhibition provides a platform for bright young minds to come together to investigate theories, discover new technologies and advance knowledge through innovation.

“This type of research and development is essential to growing the areas ofscience, technology, engineering and maths,” said a spokesperson fororganisers and sponsors BT.

The competition has proved a springboard for many of the country’s best scientists and many previous winners have also achieved success in the EU Young Scientist competition.

Tickets can be booked on 1800 924 362. Family tickets (two adults and up to three children) are €30; adults, €12; students and concessions, €6.

School groups of 20 or more will be charged €4.50 per student for second-level groups and €4 per pupil for primary schools, with free entry for accompanying teachers.