Almost 1,200 budding boffins do battle
The 2013 exhibition at the RDS, Dublin, is set to be the largest to date — 1,197 students have set up 550 projects and 45,000 visitors are expected over the next three days.
Dr Scott was one of two physics researchers who founded the annual competition that has been held every Jan since 1965.
Co-founder, Rev Dr Tom Burke, a Carmelite priest, died in 2008 and a €1,000 bursary is awarded in his name every year to the best communicator in the event.
Just 230 teenagers took part in the first exhibition and the winner, John Monahan, from Newbridge College, Co Kildare, went on to become president of his own biotech company, Avigen Inc, based in California.
Dr Scott said that while standard of the projects had risen since the competition was founded, the enthusiasm of the students remained the same.
“The first competition was very basic with students writing up their project by hand and pinning it to a board,” said Dr Scott.
He said he was amazed at how the competition had progressed over the years and had no doubt it was playing a leading role in making the country an attractive base for leading technology and pharmaceutical firms.
Asked what the judges were looking for, Dr Scott replied: “We’re looking for an innovative project that has been carried out using scientific principles with meaningful results that the students are able to communicate to us.”
The first round of judging started after the official opening. The Young Scientist will be announced on Friday by Education and Skills Minister Ruairi Quinn.
Tickets: students €6, adults €12, and family passes €25.
*www.btyoungscientist.com
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