WICKLOW’S YOUNG SCIENTISTS IMPRESS AT RDS EXHIBITION

A number of Wicklow students brought awards back to the Garden County after impressing the judges at the 2019 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition at the RDS.

Two second place and one third place awards were presented to local students while special awards and highly commended prizes were also collected.

Fourteen projects by Co Wicklow students were presented to the judges, four of which collected Special Category Awards.

Rian Byrne from Coláiste Chill Mhantáin was presented with the Food Safety Authority Award and also took second place in the junior (individual) section of the Biological and Ecological category with his project on ‘Will Hydroxymethylfurfuraldehyde (HMF) Levels in Honey Affect: 1) The Quality of Honey and 2) Effects of the Honey on Human Health’.

In the same category, Amelie Moore of St Gerard’s in Bray came third for her project investigating the incidence and impact of microplastics on Irish farms.

There was double delight for St Mary’s College in Arklow. ‘Want a Safe Car? WHEEL Get Right on That’, a project by Aimee Bodell, Marguerite O’Donovan and Leah Weldon not only came second in the intermediate (group) section of the technology category but was also presented with the Road Safety Authority Award. Meanwhile, ‘How to Build Happiness’ by Liadain O’Sullivan was the recipient of The Housing Agency Award.

Sean Byrne from Avondale Community College, who was competing for the fourth and final time, was presented with the Sceience for Development Award for his eggshell filtration system to remove pollutants from water.

In addition, five Wicklow projects were Highly Commended while two display awards were achieved.

PHOTOS BY BARBARA FLYNN Sean Byrne from Avondale Community College with his eggshell filtration system to remove pollutants from water, which won the Science for Development Award at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in the RDS.

Aisling Byrne from Avondale Community College with her project ‘Are Dairy Farmers Wasting Money on Footbath Solutions?’

Elizabeth Kent and Maeve Shortall from St Mary’s College with their project about Glyphosate in the honey collected from areas where Round-Up is used.

Rían Byrne from Colaiste Chill Mhantain with his own honey and his award-winning project on the effects of Hydroxymethylfurfuraldehyde on honey and human health.

Aishling O’Neill and Rachel Foster from Dominican College with their analysis of changing attitudes towards male workers in early years childcare/education.

Bray student Aoife Ní Bhriain from Colaiste Iosagáin with her highly commended project on the differences between health in Travellers and the general population.

Liadain O’Sullivan from St Mary’s College, who investigated the link between architecture and psychology.