SciFest Ezine, SciFest National Final Special Edition, Vol 6, Number 2, November 2014

SciFest Ezine

Volume 6, Number 2 November 2014

SciFest National Final Special Edition Monaghan student picks up top award for an automated system to aid people with memory loss Christopher Carragher, a sixth year student from Our Lady’s Sec-

ondary School, Castleblaney, Co. Monaghan has been announced as the overall winner of SciFest 2014, for his project Memory Buddy. Mr Damien English, TD, Minister for Skills, Research & Innovation presented Christopher with his prize – the SciFest@SFI Discover Grand Award. The prize includes the opportunity to represent Ireland at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2015 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Christopher’s teacher, Kathryn Higgins, received the Intel Teacher of Excellence award and will accompany Christopher to Intel ISEF.

Inside this issue

Christopher’s

pro-

ject was the result of

concern

SciFest 2014 National Final ......... …………....2 Berlin Long Night of Science Award………….2

about

SEAI INESPO Award.………………………………...3

the signs of short-

Boston Scientific Award…………………………...4

term memory loss

ISTA Award…………………………………..………….5

being exhibited by a

Excellence in STEM Awards……………………..5

family member and he set about designing an automat-

ed system to aid people with memory loss. Memory Buddy is a complete system designed and programmed by Christopher. Using Google Calendar the

Thank You……………………………………………....6 General Information………………………………..6 Contact Details………………………………………..6

SciFest ticks all the boxes Accessible



Inclusive



Free Entry

National – SciFest@SFI Discover

    

International – SciFest@Intel ISEF SciFest@INESPO



Memory Buddy can alert the person about appointments and medication

Trophies and Prizes

via flashing lights, sound and also via the TV. It includes a remotely con-

Local – SciFest@School

trolled medicine drawer that presents the appropriate medicine at a par-

Regional – SciFest@College

ticular time and there is a feedback facility that notifies a carer when medicine has or has not been taken. The system also includes an organiser that can be used to establish care rotas and appointments.

SciFest 2014 National Final—SciFest@SFI Discover SciFest is an all-island science initiative which fosters active, collaborative and inquiry-based learning among second level students. This year saw a record number of over 6,000 students exhibiting their projects in local and regional science fairs across the country.

Aláine Ní Laoí, left, from St Caimin’s Community School, Shannon, Co. Clare was one of 29 students who went on to exhibit their 15 STEM projects at the SciFest 2014 National Final held in the Marino Conference Centre in Dublin on 7 November. Each student was already a winner having been awarded the SciFest@SFI Discover Best Project Award at their regional SciFest@College 2014 science fair.

Aláine’s teacher was Deirdre McGrath and her project looked at flight strategy efficiency in raptors.

“I was hugely impressed with the skill and level of research demonstrated by each project exhibited at the SciFest final. SciFest allows second-level students to put their analytical and scientific skills to the test. These skills are vitally important for continuing to build Ireland’s knowledge and entrepreneurial society and the students here today will have a very bright and promising future.”

Mr Damien English, TD, Minister for Skills, Research & Innovation

The Berlin Long Night of Science Award Another major award presented at the final was the Berlin Long Night of Science Award, which went to Dundalk sisters Rachael and Shannon Ní Dhonnachadha from St Vincent’s Secondary School, Dundalk, Co. Louth

for their project which looked at the science of punching. A punch involves a rotation of the wrist resulting in a horizontal fist on impact – this was introduced at the end of the 19th century but with no documented reason for this change. Rachael and Shannon set out to investigate if rotating the wrist before impact improved the efficiency of the punch.

They measured various aspects of a punch including force, acceleration and velocity and their results found that contrary to the current accepted practice, punching with a rotation of the wrist provides no advantage in punch force and overall not rotating the wrist is advantageous.

This award is supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and consists of an engraved trophy and an all-expenses-paid trip for Rachel, Shannon and their teacher, John White, to attend the Long Night of Science in Berlin in May 2015.

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Sacred Heart Secondary School students pick up award for their research into LED street lights Ellen Fitzgerald, Aoife Dolan and Niamh Nyhan, three students from Sacred Heart Secondary School, Clonakilty, Co. Cork, received an Excellence in STEM Award at the SciFest@SFI Discover national final for their project which looked at the use of LED bulbs in street lights. Ellen, Aoife and Niamh were three of 15 students who went on to exhibit their 6 STEM projects at the national final and who competed for the SEAI INESPO (International Environment and Sustainability Project Olympiad) Award.

The INESPO competition took place in parallel with the national final for the overall winners from the 15 regional SciFest science fairs which took

place earlier in the year. The Clonakilty girls went on to win the award

Dr Arlene O’Neill speaking at the awards Ceremony

which was presented to them by Aoife Cannon, Education Programme

“SciFest is a celebration of

Executive, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI). The students’

STEM and continues to go

prize includes an all-expenses-paid trip, with their teacher, Claire Holland,

from strength to strength. I

to the Netherlands to represent Ireland at the INESPO competition next

am encouraged to see so

June.

many innovative projects and

Ellen, Aoife and Niamh with Aoife Cannon, SEAI

Upon discovering that there

in particular the level of re-

are an estimated 400,000

search that has gone into

street lights in Ireland Ellen,

each project. Initiatives like

Aoife and Niamh realised

SciFest are important to help

that the cost of street lighting

promote STEM among stu-

throughout the country must

dents because these fields

be very expensive. Realising

hold great potential for the

that LED bulbs are much

future prosperity of our econ-

more energy efficient than

omy and society. It is up to us

the bulbs currently used in

as

parents,

teachers

and

street lamps they set out to design an LED bulb that could be screwed

friends to guide our young

directly into the standard street lamp fitting. As well as being more energy

people

efficient, the LED bulb has a much longer life expectancy, thus cutting

careers in these fascinating

down on checking and replacement costs.

areas.”

“I was very impressed with the level of research demonstrated by all of the INESPO Award entries at SciFest 2014. We saw a number of great innovative ideas which will help us to become more energy efficient and sustainable in the years to come. I sincerely congratulate Ellen, Aoife and Niamh on their win and I know they will do us proud when they represent Ireland in the Netherlands next year.”

towards

rewarding

Professor Mark Ferguson, Director General of Science

Foundation Ireland and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government.

Aoife Cannon, Education Programme Executive, SEAI

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Boston Scientific Award Boston Scientific Award winners

“Boston Scientific is delighted to have come on board as project partner with SciFest this year.

Students: Oisín Keniry, Edmond O’Halloran, and Bobby McCarthy

SciFest was a natural fit

School: Pobalscoil na Tríonóide, Park Mountain, Youghal, Co. Cork

for Boston Scientific to partner with in this respect. The promotion of STEM subjects, at second

Teacher: Crona McCarthy

level in particular, is of vital importance. Our aim is to inspire students to develop a passion for these subjects, thereby ensuring we have a continuous uptake of the

In the September 2014 issue of the SciFest Ezine it was announced that Boston Scientific had joined SFI Discover and Intel Ireland as a SciFest project partner.

science and engineering

To celebrate the partnership a Boston Scientific Award consisting of an en-

disciplines at third level.

graved trophy was presented at the SciFest. national final by John Walsh,

As a result, we are help-

IS Manager, Boston Scientific Galway.

ing to mould the scientists and engineers of the

NOTE: A NEW AWARD, The Boston Scientific Medical Devices Award,

future. SciFest is an ex-

will be presented at each of the 15 SciFest@College 2015 venues.

cellent

opportunity

for

students to research, ex-

Additional information and a PowerPoint presentation explaining what is meant by a medical device may be found on the SciFest website.

plore and develop their own ideas.

We wish all the students the very best of luck in their endeavours and we look forward to a fruitful and exciting partnership with SciFest.”

Elaine Boyd, Director Human Resources, Boston Scientific Galway

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Megan Duffy, Oakgrove Integrated College, Gransha Park, Derry

Coill Ó Crotaigh Gaelcholáiste Phort Láirge, Co. Phort Láirge

Aisling O'Rourke, Mary Immaculate Secondary School, Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare

ISTA Award Students: Mark Roche and Cormac Ward, School: Avondale Community College, Rathdrum, Co. Wicklow

Irish Science Teachers’ Award winners: Brothers, Harry, James and Jack Knoblauch, St Brendan’s College, Killarney, Co. Kerry with Rory Geoghegan, ISTA. Teacher: Marie Vaughan

Teacher: Aoife Sullivan

Student: Ria Reddy School: Mount Anville Secondary School¸ Dublin 14

Teacher: Bernard Crampton

“For the last three years, the winners of SciFest have gone on to represent Ireland at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair. All of these winners have consistently demonstrated the excellent creative thinking skills of our second level students and the dedication that their parents and teachers have to promoting inquiry based learning. SciFest creates opportunities for students to work cooperatively with others on areas of local, national and global scientific and engineering interest and Intel is delighted to be a part of this national initiative.”

Leonard Hobbs, Public Affairs Manager, Intel Ireland

SciFest National Final—SciFest@SFI Discover 2014—Excellence in STEM Awards All 38 students who exhibited at SciFest@SFI Discover were presented with Excellent in STEM Award plaques. These were presented by Margie McCarthy, Head of Education and Public Engagement, SFI.

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1. Carla Kaveh and Emma Wilson, Santa Sabina Dominican College, Sutton, Dublin (Teacher: Paul Nugent) 2. Kate Culligan, Clodagh Hunt-Sheridan, Dominican College, Griffith Avenue, Dublin (Teacher: Michael Moriarty) 3. Erica Neilan and Nicole Dolan, Meán Scoil Muire gan Smál, Co. Rocommon (Teacher: Padraig Harlow) 4. Ceili Cowan, Kayleigh Bourke, Kenneth Conlon, Coláiste Dún Iascaigh, Cashel Road, Cahir, Co. Tipperary (Teacher: Rachel Burke)

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5. Diarmuid Geever, St Nathy's College, Ballaghaderreen, Co. Roscommon (Teacher: Oonagh Redmond) 6. Ben Brown, Sean Hannon and Cian Dunne, Blackrock College, Co Dublin (Teacher: Hugo Rowsome)

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Thank you As the year draws to a close SciFest would like to thank all the people who helped to make SciFest 2014 such a resounding success:

Contact Us

the students (all 6059 of them), the teachers, the institutes of technology and the regional coordinators, St Mary’s College, the judges (at local, regional and national level), the partners (SFI Discover, Intel Ireland and Boston Scientific), the main sponsors (Sentinus, iJoin, Newstalk, PharmaChemical Ireland, SEAI, ESERO Ireland, NCE-MSTL, ISTA, IOP, DFA, and the RSC), the local sponsors and all the people who supported SciFest throughout the year.

e: sheila.porter@scifest.ie e: george.porter@scifest.ie m: 086 379 6143 w: www.scifest.ie Please check the website regularly for updates

Registration forms for SciFest@School are downloadable from the website. http://scifest.ie/scifestschool Closing date for receipt of completed entry forms for SciFest@College is Friday 13 March 2015. Entry forms will be available at the end of January.

Congratulations Shauna O’Neill, who recently received a ‘Women in Technology’ award from Intel Ireland, was the Best Project Award winner at SciFest@GMIT 2012. Seven

female students who have just began studying Science, Engineering or Technology courses were selected as the recipients of the scholarships which are now in their third year. Shauna is studying Nanoscience, Physics and Chemistry of Advanced Materials (NPCAM) at Shauna O'Neill is presented with her Scholarship by Intel's Laetitia West

SEAI INESPO finalists, Lauren Moran, Siofra Flynn and Eva O’Connell, Oakgrove Integrated College, Stradreagh, Gransha Park, Derry discuss their project with judge, Kevin O’Rourke Teacher: Laura Corbett

Cian Fogarty, John Tobin, Tullamore College, Riverside, Tullamore, Co. Offaly Teacher: Jillian Browne