LOCAL YOUNG SCIENTISTS PROJECTS

LOUTH students have once again shown their scientific prowess with 17 entries from eight secondary schools in Louth accepted to the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2017.

The competition which has always been hugely popular locally has seen over the past five years, 88% of Louth secondary schools participated in the national exhibition.

Of the 550 projects shortlisted to compete at the exhibition this year, 17 are from Louth secondary schools, with a total of 36 students from eight schools

In Dundalk and north Louth, students submitted ideas and innovations on subjects ranging from parking issues outside schools at peak times to how music affects the quality of sleep.

Competing schools include St. Vincent’s Secondary, Dundalk Grammar School, Bush Post Primary, and the first entry from Colaiste Chu Chulainn students who looked at improving the sandbags used to prevent flooding.

St. Vincent’s Secondary students have five projects submitted including : an analysis of grading retinal images for diabetic screening; links between hazardous air pollutants exposed to during ‘Park and Stride’ endeavours at schools; the best materials for sports socks; impact of various types of stretching for racket sports players; and how music affects sleep quality.

Dundalk Grammar students are examining ‘racism in Irish and Northern Ireland schools, and the potential effects due to Brexit.’

Meanwhile Bush students are continuing with a project which featured at last years Young Scientists Exhibition, with an in-depth look at the economic impacts since the passing of the same sex marriage bill in 2015.

Other projects from the North Louth school include; investigating the links between sugar addiction and smoking later in life; and if there is a link between ‘nature deficit and obesity.’ With five projects submitted in total, the students have also undertaken to look at the current craze of wearable health tracking devices, and their impact on fitness.