The winners of the 49th annual BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2013 have been announced! Northern Ireland Students who this week showcased their projects at the prestigious event, have been formally recognised at the awards.

Beating off stiff competition from 31 Northern Ireland finalists, Oakgrove Integrated College, Derry~Londonderry won the Best Northern Ireland School Award sponsored by MATRIX. They also won the University of Ulster Northern Ireland Special Award for their project: ‘Developing methods to harvest seeds from crops for replanting by farmers in developing countries.’ The project developed by students Megan Duffy and Zoe McGirr was entered in the Biological and Ecological category, Junior Group section and also won 2nd prize Junior Group Category Award.

While St.Mary’s College, Derry~Londonderry won the Irish Medicines Board Special Award for their project ‘Medicinal Safety’.  They also received 3rd prize – Senior Individual Award for their project ‘The development of a handy indicator for determining the amount of active ingredients in simvastatin, crestor and ramipril part III’ and 3rd prize – Junior Individual Award for their project ‘Investigating the fluoride content of shop bought drinks’ which were both entered into the Chemical, Physical and Mathematical Sciences categories.

Further category awards were presented to Northern Ireland students at tonight’s ceremony.

• Rathmore Grammar School, Antrim students received 1st prize – Junior Group Award for their project ‘Why did our palm trees (cordylines) die?’ which was entered into the Biological and Ecological Sciences category• St.Mary’s Limavady, Derry~Londonderry students received 2nd prize - Senior Individual Award for their project ‘Glitter Balls’ which was entered into the Chemical, Physical and Mathematical Sciences category

Student projects from Thornhill College and Lumen Christi College, Derry~Londonderry and St Colman’s College and St Louis Grammar, Down were also highly commended at the awards ceremony.

Colm O’Neill, CEO, BT Ireland said, “The exhibition is incredible this year - more ideas submitted, more partners coming on board, excellent exhibits and certainly more visitors coming through the doors. It is becoming a real movement and gaining such momentum in its 49th year. We’re delighted with the winning projects and would like to congratulate the winners on their achievements this week. We know, from experience, that this award will change their lives.

Ann Blanking, St.Mary’s College commented; “We are delighted to receive three awards at this year’s ceremony. The BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition has proven to be a great mechanism for students and teachers to interact across science, technology, engineering and mathematics in a fun and inspirational way. “It is a superb way to stimulate learning outside the classroom and for students to showcase their talent on an international stage. I would encourage more Northern Ireland students to get involved in the competition next year and to see for themselves the wonderful opportunities it brings for future learning and career prospects. The combined efforts and hard work of all the students and teachers involved has resulted in some really innovative projects which have been very well received this week.”Third year students Ciara Judge, Emer Hickey and Sophie Healy-Thow, all aged 15, from Kinsale Community School, Cork have taken home the top prize for their project entitled, “A statistical investigation of the effects of Diazotroph bacteria on plant germination”. The announcement was made in the BT Arena at Dublin’s RDS this evening, by Ruairi Quinn, TD Minister for Education and Skills and Colm O’Neill, CEO, BT Ireland.  The girls were entered in the Biological & Ecological Sciences category, intermediate section.

Ciara, Emer and Sophie were presented with a cheque for €5,000, the opportunity to represent Ireland at the 25th European Union Young Scientist competition taking place in Prague in September and a Waterford crystal trophy.  Almost 1,200 students from 31 counties covering 550 projects from 216 schools nationwide competed for the coveted title ‘Winner of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2013.’

More than 45,000 people are expected to have passed through the doors of the RDS during the week which continues tomorrow Saturday, 12th January 2013. Doors are open from 9.30am to 5pm.

For more information on the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition please visit www.btyoungscientist.com or twitter.com/btyste

ENDS

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