Eight schools from the Galway region represented the county at this year’s BT Young Scientist exhibition with many groups departing with prestigious awards, and among them is Edel Browne from the Presentation College in Athenry.
She was awarded the winner’s tag in the Best Individual category for her project entitled “Free Feet”. The concept focused on a device which can reduce the freezing of gait in sufferers of Parkinson’s disease and in turn help them walk more smoothly. Edel, 15, entered her project in the senior section of the technology division and her prize includes a BT perpetual trophy and €2,400.
There was also success for Colaiste Einde Leaving Cert student Jeffrey Lyons who began working on his idea before the summer holidays. His project, which concentrated on redefinining the economic concept of value to stimulate the economy also earned adulation from the judges when he was awarded a runner -up prize in the senior distinction of the social and behaviour division. His teacher Matthew Lockett said: “He was confident in the project going up to the RDS and he was able to explain it very well to the judges. I think even teachers from desks nearby were impressed by him.”
Colaiste na Coirbe also featured favourably at the awards ceremony of the BT Young Scientist exhibition. Fifth year students Eoin Shimizu, Ellen Ní Laochadh, Seán Ó Raghaille and Owen McDomhnaill, were the orchestrators of the school’s entry which determined whether frozen food is safe to consume. The project secured second place in the senior group of the chemical, physical, and mathematical sciences category, and was also handed a special award from the Institute of Physics for best physics content in a project. In addition to the group’s evident success at the exhibition, they will also attend a four day residential programME in Dublin in March for high quality projects which have commercial potential.
Phoebe Evans and Katie Lambe, pupils attending the Jesus and Mary secondary school had their submission featured at the exhibition in the RDS. The objective of their project was to test the effects of chemicals used in hair dyes.
Speaking on the fantastic achievements of Galway’s budding scientific minds, Mayor Terry O’Flaherty said: “I wish to extend my heartiest congratulations to the Galway schools, their science teachers and their pupils who were among the prize winners in the BT Young Scientist of the Year awards in the RDS last week. Well done to all concerned and thank you for keeping the Galway flag flying in such a prestigious competition”.
