SciFest Ezine, Volume 8, Number 1, September 2016

Volume 8, Number 1, September 2016

SciFest Where Creativity meets Innovation

SciFest Ezine BE A PART OF THE FASTEST GROWING SCIENCE FAIR PROGRAMME IN IRELAND Participation in SciFest 2008—2016 INSIDE THIS ISSUE

SciFest is the Best ............ ..............2 Smart Futures ................. ……….…..2 SciFest 2016 National Final………....3 SciFest@School Reg. Form……….....3 SciFest 2016 SFI Best Project Award Winners…………………………………….4

Students Projects

SCIFEST 2016 BREAKS ALL PREVIOUS RECORDS

SciFest is Just the Beginning..……...5 A Project for First Year Students... 6 SciFest STEM Fair Toolkit…………...7

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73 Science Fairs

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8000+ Students

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390+ Teachers

Dates for Your Diary…………..……….8

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29 Counties

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3500+ Projects

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260+ Schools

Contact Us……………………….………...8

SCIFEST IS THE BEST ‘When it comes to science competitions, SciFest is the best. It begins at your school, where it’s fun to compete, moves locally, where you realise how many others are curious about science, and on to a national stage, where the diversity of projects display the sheer talent of Irish students.’

Eve McGlinchey, St Leo’s College, Carlow Best Project Award, SciFest@School, SFI Best Project Award winner, SciFest@ITC Spirit of SciFest Award, SciFest National Final 2015

SMART FUTURES FREE CAREER TALKS FOR SCHOOLS

Smart Futures offers free career talks to all postprimary schools in Ireland to give guidance

counsellors and students the chance to ask practical questions about working in STEM. In collaboration with Smart Futures these career talks have been available for a number of years at regional SciFest science fairs.

This year SciFest is working closely with Smart Futures to encourage all schools, especially schools hosting a SciFest@School science fair, to register with Smart Futures for free career talks via the ‘Resources’ section of

www.SmartFutures.ie

The SciFest national science fair programme is Ireland’s largest pre-college science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) competition. SciFest was set up to encourage a love of STEM through active, collaborative, inquiry-based learning and to give every young person, whatever their background or circumstances, the opportunity to achieve their potential in, and have an enjoyable experience of, STEM. Being locally and regionally based, open to all and free to enter SciFest promotes diversity and is both highly inclusive and accessible. The SciFest experience encourages the development of skills such as intellectual curiosity, critical thinking and problem solving, skills which are essential for a successful and fulfilling life as a citizen of a knowledge society. In collaboration with Science Foundation Ireland’s Smart Futures programme talks and advice on careers in STEM are available to all SciFest events.

SciFest is affiliated to two international science fairs: The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) in the USA and the International Environment and Sustainability Project Olympiad (INESPO) in the Netherlands. In the five years that SciFest has participated in Intel ISEF students representing SciFest have won a total of seven major awards. SciFest affiliated to INESPO in 2015 and in that year the students representing SciFest won a gold medal first place award. This year the SciFest representative achieved a silver medal second place award.

SciFest partners with Science Foundation Ireland, Intel and Boston Scientific – along with a number of other corporate, academic, government and science-focused organisations – who provide support and sponsor awards.

SciFest@School fairs run throughout the academic year at times which suit the individual schools. The SciFest@College fairs take place between March and June each year and the SciFest National Final takes place each November in the Marino Conference Centre in Dublin.

ORGANISING A SCIFEST@SCHOOL? Complete the STEM experience with a careers talk for the students; register with Smart Futures for free career talks: http://scifest.ie/free-stem-talks-for-schools-0

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SCIFEST@SCHOOL TAKE THE FIRST STEP DOWNLOAD A REGISTRATION FORM TODAY

SciFest@School, Carrigaline CS, Cork

‘SciFest has been a great success in our school, students now ask when it is taking place and it has developed a real interest in the subject throughout the school. ’ Louise Gallagher, SciFest@School Coordinator, CBS Roscommon

SCIFEST 2016 NATIONAL FINAL

SciFest@School St Joseph’s, Borrisoleigh

The Science Foundation Ireland Best Project Award winners from the 16 regional SciFest@College 2016 science fairs will participate in a national final competition on 11 November 2016 in Dublin.

This year the final is being expanded to include the best of the runner-up projects from the regional fairs. Following the completion of the regional SciFest@College 2016 science fairs the runners-up were invited to submit their project report books to SciFest Ltd by 30 September. A panel of judges appointed by SciFest will assess the projects, based on the report books, and will select the projects to go forward to participate in the national final.

SciFest@School, St Mary’s, Arklow

The top prize on the day is the SciFest 2016 Grand Award. This consists of a trophy and an all-expenses-paid trip for the winning student(s) (accompanied by their teacher) to represent Ireland at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles, California in May 2017.

Competitions for the SEAI INESPO Award and the Boston Scientific Medical Devices Grand Award will also take place at the National Final. The SEAI INESPO Award winner/s will receive a trophy and go on to represent Ireland at INESPO 2017 in the Netherlands in May, accompanied by their teacher. The Boston Scientific Medical Devices Grand Award winner/s. will be presented with a trophy and an award to the value of €500.

SciFest@School, St Nathy’s, Roscommon

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SCIFEST 2016 SCIENCE FOUNDATION IRELAND BEST PROJECT AWARD WINNERS

"SciFest was an

Venue

School

experience.

AIT

Lanesboro CC Lanesboro, Michael Co Longford Lyons

Will Dennigan The Modernisation of Farming

It improved our

CIT

North North Monastery SS Monastery Rd., Cork

Elvis Nzekwe Harold Ibarlin Filip Gajda

DCU

Sutton Park School

St Fintan’s Catherine Heather Road, Sutton, Tattersall Murphy D. 13 Naoise Tobin

Sound Absorbing Paint

Inter.

Physical Sciences

Derry

St. Killian's College

Carnlough, Co. Antrim

Sean Connolly

Distance Diagnostics

Junior Tech.

DIT

Sutton Park School

St Fintan's Rd., Sutton, Dublin 13

Catherine Omar Salem Tattersall

Designing a Multi-Role Stealth Aircraft and Testing its Viability

Inter. Tech.

DkIT

St. Louis SS

Co. Monaghan

Joanne Myers

GMIT

Mary LisdoonvarImmaculate SS na, Co. Clare

ITB

Loreto SS

St Michaels, Dr Lisa Navan, Co. Darley Meath

Katie Byrne

Can we improve the Inter. Life protective properties of Sciences camogie/hurling gloves?

ITC

Avondale Community College

Rathdrum, Co Wicklow

Aoife Sullivan

Seán Byrne

The Ugly Side of Beauty Inter.

– Toxic Chemicals used Physical in Cosmetics.

Sciences

ITS

Ursuline College Sligo

Co. Sligo

Anthony Carolan

Aoife Kearins

Eye Opener: Helping Drowsy Drivers Stay Safe

ITT

St. Wolstan's Celbridge, CS Co Kildare

Karen O'Callaghan

Caolann Brady Hum Your Way to Better Senior Life Health Sciences

ITTral

CC Killorglin

Killorglin, Co Kerry

Donal O’Reilly

Natasha Myers Does board games help Junior Life people with dyslexia?

Sciences

LIT

Coláiste Chiarain

Croom, Co. Limerick

Edel Farrell

Kalin Foy Ciara Coyle

Jeanne Dowling

Katie Kinane, Ali Ryan

incredible learning

communications skills, our confidence and knowledge on our project.

It was a well worth day out that opened up many opportunities for the future."

Heather Murphy and Naoise Tobin Sutton Park School Dublin SFI Best Project Award Winners, SciFest@DCU 2016

Address

St. Anne's SS Tipperary LIT Town Thurles

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LyIT

Mulroy College

WIT

Mountrath CS Mountrath, Co. Laois

Teacher

Frank Murphy

Student/s

Stephen Emerson Sean Martin

Cat.

Senior Tech.

A Remote Smoke Alarm Junior System Tech.

Simone Clerkin The Healthy Alternatives Inter. Life Alison to High Calorific Sciences McDonnell Ingredients in Food for Young Children

John Sims Maghnus Hartigan

Milford, Aisling Conor Bradley, Letterkenny, Mc Ateer/ Dylan Mc Bride Co Donegal Susan Mc Kelvey Dr. Mary Kelly

Project Title

Applying Real-Time Senior Physiological Responses Tech. to a Virtual Classroom Environment

Senior Tech.

To design and Inter. Tech. manufacture wireless trailer lights.

Mechanics of Pencil Junior Life Holding in ECCE Children Sciences To investigate if egg size/breed affects the hatch rate in chicken eggs.

Marie Keogh EcoDishes Grace Hanneffy Roisín McEvoy.

Inter. Life Sciences

Junior Physical Sciences

SCIFEST IS JUST THE BEGINNING The main aim of participation in SciFest is to engage students in creative problem solving without the restriction of having the ‘correct answer’. A project can be in any area of STEM. Students are encouraged to work collaboratively and come up with their own idea for a project. By doing this they learn how to take initiative and responsibility for their own learning, work in teams, become more confident and manage themselves more effectively.

Participating in SciFest creates an ideal opportunity to inspire students to use technology to create innovative solutions to real world problems. By applying their skills in computational techniques and writing new programs even very young students can design exciting new products. These are the inventors and innovators of the future who will play a vital role in the continued development of our economy and in addressing global challenges such as climate change.

SciFest encourages students to continue with their research and take their project to the next level. Examples of this include: Adam Burke and Eoin Hayes, Coláiste Chiaráin Co. Limerick won the SFI Best Project Award at SciFest@LIT 2015 and the Berlin Long Night of Science Award (Runner-up Best Project Award) at the SciFest 2015 National Final last November.

Their project, entitled 'The Handy Guide to Sign Language', has just been accepted to be exhibited at the Make Faire Rome in October. Well done and good luck to Adam and Eoin.

Well done also to Sarah Murphy, Niamh O’Malley and Mary Murphy, Jesus and Mary Secondary School, Gortnor Abbey, Crossmolina, Co. Mayo who won 1st Place in the Intermediate Category, Technology and also the Business Innovation Award at SciFest@ITSligo 2016. Their project was entitled 'Handheld Gun for Applying Marking Fluid to Sheep'.

The girls went on to win a number of other awards including First in the Student's Category of the Invention Section at the recent Tullamore Show.

SciFest is also closely following Laura Hutchinson and Antoinette Atik, St Joseph’s College, Borriosleigh, Thurles, Co. Tipperary. Laura and Antoinette were Special Award winners at SciFest@LITThurles 2016. Their project was entitled ‘Bags with Tags’. Success at SciFest encouraged the girls to go further with their project and enter it into the Eurocean Competition 2016. In July Laura and Antoinette were delighted to hear their project had been selected along with two other projects to compete for the Mário Ruivo Prize 2016. Good luck to Laura and Antoinette.

"My SciFest journey was a truly life changing experience. On the road from exuberant early experimentation to accurate scientific analysis I developed skills in research, presentation, organisation, time management and scientific methods, and discovered a new found spirit of perseverance and determination. Primarily though, the whole experience was huge fun, and I made friends from Monaghan to Malaysia and everywhere in between.

"I can't thank SciFest enough for giving me this opportunity and I'd recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone who enjoys thinking outside the box."

Lúc de Barra, Coláiste Ráithín, Bré, Co. Wicklow: SciFest@DIT 2015 SEAI Award winner SciFest National Final 2015 SEAI INESPO Award winner INESPO 2016 Silver medal Second Place Award

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A PROJECT FOR FIRST YEAR STUDENTS 

Ask a question about something that you see: How, What, When, Who, Where, Which, or Why? Question: Which brand of raisin cereal has the most raisins?

2. Carry out some research Research: Look up and learn about the different types of cereal on the Internet, check out a book, ask an adult. Learn all you can about your question.

Visit a few supermarkets and check which cereals have raisins. What are raisins and are they an essential part of your diet? Are cereals with more raisins better for you?

Make sure that the websites you are using are reliable and write down every reference for the ‘References’ section at the end of your project report.

3. Write down your ‘Hypothesis’. A hypothesis is a guess about how things work.

Hypothesis: All raisin breakfast cereals have the same amount of raisins per bowl of cereal.

4. Design and carry out your experiment

Your experiment tests whether your hypothesis is true or false.

It is important for your experiment to be a fair test, i.e. you only change one thing at a time while keeping everything else the same.

Repeat all your experiments several times to make sure that the first results weren't just an accident.

Experiment: Shake the box to mix the cereal. Weigh out a definite amount. Count the raisins. Repeat five times, weighing out the same amount each time, and take an average. Repeat this for each cereal.

5. Analyse your data and draw a conclusion

Make a chart and as you carry out your experiment write down all your results. When your experiment is finished study your results. Examine them to see if your hypothesis is true or false.

6. Present your project Finish writing up your project report. Make up your display board and get ready to tell others about your project.

‘I would say that my SciFest experience was one I will not forget. Though at times it may have been challenging, it was all worth it at the end and it was certainly enjoyable.’

Zaineb Baker (and Aoife O’Driscoll), Mount Mercy College, Model Farm Rd., Cork Boston Scientific Medical Devices Award winner SciFest@CIT 2015

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‘Last year’s SciFest at school was a great success. All first years participated.

Each teacher with a first year class coordinated the projects of their own students. Both teachers and students found the experience very rewarding. Many of these students have expressed a wish to become involved again this year.

Some of the judges were from the local community one of whom was an engineer and another a technology teacher. They also enjoyed the experience saying they felt that SciFest@School was an excellent initiative to increase interest in STEM careers. ‘

Dr Katie Corbett, SciFest Coordinator, Skerries community College, Co. Dublin

SCIFEST STEM FAIRS TOOLKIT

RESOURCES ON THE

The aim of the SciFest website is not only to keep you , the teacher, and your students up to date with what is happening on the SciFest scene but also to act as a valuable resource. There are lots of downloadable materials (SciFest STEM Fair Toolkit) which include the following

INCLUDE:



A ‘Beginners Guide’ module suitable for Junior Category projects

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‘A Science by Inquiry’ module suitable for Transition Year

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Project Ideas

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Start small—10 steps to a successful SciFest@School

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Choosing an idea and getting started



Impressing the judges



Tips for exhibiting at SciFest



Report book and presentation



Sample rubrics

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SciFest@College—Teacher and Student Guidelines

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Student activities—crosswords, etc.



PowerPoint presentations

SCIFEST WEBSITE

The SciFest website is also linked to the SciFest YouTube channel, SciFest Facebook, Twitter and Flickr.

It is important to check the website regularly for updates. As the date of each SciFest@College becomes available it will be posted on the website.

‘Judging at SciFest enabled us to see how valuable such activities are to both the students and staff alike. On viewing the various projects it was evident how enthusiastic and creative the students were about the task. We felt this creativeness and willingness to explore science should be nurtured in contemporary science classes. ’

By Laura Shiels and Lisa Griffin, SciFest@School Judges, March 2016

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

'Our experience of SciFest has been fun,

Space week

3-8 Oct 2016

SciFest@College DkIT

TBD

both students and teachers.

Maths Week

15-23 Oct 2016

SciFest@College ITS

TBD

We have seen students really

SciFest National Final 2016

11 Nov. 2016

SciFest@College ITB

3 May 2017

SciFest Launch 2017

TBD

SciFest@College LIT Thurles

3 May 2017

interests and display what

Engineers Week

4-10 March 2017

SciFest@College DCU

5 May 2017

they have discovered. It is a

Science Week

13-20 Nov. 2016

SciFest@College IT Tralee

9 May 2017

SciFest@College 2017 — Closing date for entry forms

10 March 2017

SciFest@College LyIT

12 May 2017

SciFest@College CIT

31 March 2017

Intel ISEF, Los Angeles

14-19 May 2017

SciFest@College DIT

6 April 2017

SciFest@College GMIT

TBD

SciFest@College LIT

TBD

SciFest@College ITT

TBD

SciFest@College AIT

26 April 2017

INESPO, The Netherlands

May/June TBD

SciFest@College WIT

3 May 2017

SciFest@College NW (Derry) TBD

SciFest@College ITC

TBD

inspiring and interesting for

enjoy the experience of

re-

search as they explore their

great opportunity for all.'

The Science Department, Loreto College, Mullingar

“SciFest@School is all about inclusion with every student benefitting from the opportunity to present their investigation. The introduction of SciFest@School to our calendar has raised the status of STEM among our students. Overall SciFest@School has been a wonderful and enjoyable experience for both students and teachers!”

Karen O’Callaghan, SciFest@School Coordinator, St Wolstan’s CS, Celbridge, Co. Kildare

Your Organization

Contact Us 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

SciFest is supported by The Institutes of Technology, DCU and St Mary’s College, Derry

Closing date for receipt of entries to SciFest@College 2016 is: Friday 10 March 2017 (except in the case of SciFest@NorthWest in St Mary's College, Derry, where the entry date is Friday 12 May 2017)

‘Science in vo lves m o re th an th e gain in g o f k no w ledge. It is th e sy stem atic and organized inquiry into the natural world and its phenomena. Science is about gaining a deeper and often useful understanding of the world.’

Ref: Multicultural History of Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee