SciFest Ezine, Volume 15, Number4, June 2024

SCIFEST EZINE

SciFest Student Achieves Global Success at International Science Fair!

SciFest national champion, Jack Shannon from Clongowes Wood College, Co Kildare represented Ireland in May at Regeneron ISEF 2024 in Los Angeles, California coming away with two top awards Jack was placed First in the ‘Environmental Engineering’ category and also won the prestigious EUCYS award which earns the teenager an all-expenses-paid trip to compete in the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) in Poland in September

Regeneron ISEF is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition, involving some 1,700 students from over 67 countries and territories competing for a prize fund totalling $9 million

Huawei Become Gold Sponsor of SciFest Celebrating Inclusion and Success at SciFest@TCPID 2024

Jack secured his place at the international competition when he was named SciFest STEM Champion 2023 at the SciFest 2023 National Final last November He claimed first prize for his project ‘Ireland’s Carbon Sinks – Remote Sensing for Monitoring Peatland Restoration’

His study utilised remote sensing techniques for monitoring peatland restoration in Ireland Two distinct peatland sites, Clara bog and Keelbanada bog, were investigated to assess the effectiveness of multispectral, LiDAR, SAR, and InSAR analyses in

and degradation areas,

and degradation These methodologies supply

Speaking about attending ISEF, Jack Shannon said: “I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to attend and participate in Regeneron ISEF in Los Angeles, California This was a great opportunity to showcase my skills and creativity on a global stage and I am over the moon to have won two awards. Having worked so hard on my project, I’m delighted to have been able to meet with other students and see their projects I’m so thankful to my family, friends, teachers and everyone at SciFest, who have supported me on this journey ”

Sheila Porter, SciFest Founder and CEO commented: “We are all very proud of Jack on his achievement in winning two top awards Participating in Regeneron ISEF is a wonderful opportunity and I know Jack has really enjoyed the experience SciFest is all about encouraging a love of science, technology, engineering and maths among young people Jack has developed a truly innovative project and we are delighted that he has had the opportunity to bring it to an international audience We wish him every success for the future ”

Jack’s project underscores the potential of remote sensing techniques for monitoring peatland restoration or degradation at multiple scales, contributing to Ireland's commitment to the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Climate and Energy Framework by facilitating comprehensive assessments of progress towards restoration and carbon sequestration targets

We wish Jack all the best in his

The venue, Los Angeles Convention Center, California

Jack with his teacher Yvonne Nolan

Jack and Sheila Porter, SciFest Founder and CEO meet Dr George Yancopoulos Co-founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron

The Exhibition Hall

Jack flying the flag for Ireland

Jack with Karen Slavin, European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS)

Huawei Become Gold Sponsor of SciFest

SciFest is proud to announce that Huawei has joined its growing sponsor community Huaweihasbecomeagoldsponsor

As a company committed to fostering innovation and supporting STEM educationinitiatives,Huaweirecognisestheimportanceofencouragingyoung minds to pursue careers in STEM The company is sponsoring the communication award at the 16 regional SciFest STEM fairs This award recognisesthestudentswhobestexplaintheaim,resultsandimpact,oftheir investigations BybecomingaSciFestsponsor,Huaweiaimstoinspirethenext generationofscientists,engineers,andtechnologiststoexploretheirpassions andcontributetotheadvancementofsociety

Huawei Technologies Ireland CEO Calvin Lan commented: “At Huawei, we understandthesignificanceofnurturingcuriosityandcreativityinSTEMdisciplines By investing in events like these, we hope to empower individuals to pursue their interests and make meaningful contributions to the world Huawei’s sponsorship underscoresourongoingcommitmenttomakingapositiveimpactinourcommunity andbeyond WeareexcitedtobepartofSciFestandlookforwardtoengagingwith participants,sharingknowledge,andinspiringfutureinnovators”

This year marks Huawei’s 20th year in Ireland and the company is committed to creating value for the communities in which we operate. The programmes that we areinvolvedin demonstrateourcommitmenttonurturinganddevelopingtoday’s studentstothinkaboutthefutureofoursociety WecontinuetoinvestinIreland’s future ICT workforce, and we see this student opportunity as another way to help thesestudentstoenhancetheircapabilitiesastheycontinuetheirstudiesinSTEM subjects”

Celebrating

Inclusion

and Success at SciFest@TCPID 2024

The annual SciFest@TCPID (Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities) took place in Regent House, Trinity College Dublin on 30 May The projects were nothing short of amazing, with students showcasing them with confidence and enthusiasm A huge thank you to the Abbott team for their dedication in mentoring the students for weeks leading up to the event

Congratulations and thank you to the TCPID team, especially Marie Devitt, for inviting us to be a part of this remarkable event Well done to the incredible students: Conor, Shannon, Darragh, Gillian, Rebecca, Saoirse, Seadna, Dale, and Emma A special shout out to Conor for designing the stunning programme booklet! We are already looking forward to next year's event!

Erin Hardie, Loreto College Swords with Calvin Lan, CEO Huawei Ireland and Dara Colleary, Minister of State for Trade Promotion and Company Regulation, celebrating 20 years of Huawei in Ireland

Cathal Murphy , Eoin Wilcox and Patrick Barry, from Árdscoil Uí Urmoltaigh in Bandon, Co Cork, with Baolin Liang, Huawei Ireland

A record Breaking Year for SciFest

147 SciFest@School Fairs

16 SciFest@College Fairs

1 National Final

SciFestSTEM fairs havetaken

placesince last September

1 SciFest@School Teen Turn Fair I Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID) Fair

SciFest@School Participation Increases by 40%

As the 2023/2024 academic year draws to a close, we now have an opportunity to reflect on what has been an incredible year for SciFest and in particular for the SciFest@School strand of the programme A recordbreaking 147 SciFest@School fairs took place this year, representing more than a 40% increase from the previous academic year We are excited for what 2024/2025 will bring as the programme continues to serve more students, teachers, schools and communities than ever before A full list of all SciFest@School fairs can be viewed here

SciFest STEM School Awards

Congratulations to the following schools who were awarded SciFest STEM School Awards During the academic year 2023/2024

Gold Awards

Blackrock College, Co Dublin Tullamore College, Co Offaly

Silver Awards

Carrigallen Vocational School, Co Leitrim

Castlepollard Community College, Co Westmeath

Coláiste Chiaráin, Co Kildare

Coláiste Pobail Setanta, Dublin 15

Scoil Mhuire, Co Meath

Seamount College, Co Galway

SciFestSTEMSchoolAwards

GeneralRequirements

ToqualifyforaSciFestSTEMSchoolAwardaschoolmustberegisteredwith SciFest and have hosted five SciFest@School STEM fairs to be awarded a Silver Award and ten SciFest@School fairs to be awarded a Gold Award External judges should be employed and the fairs must operate under the SciFestGuidelines Studentsandteachersmustbeawareoftheseguidelines beforetheybeginprojects

SciFest@School, St Paul's Secondary School, Monasterevin, Co Kildare with SciFest School Liaison Officer Alan Dunne

SciFest School Liaison Officer, Alan Dunne presenting Tullamore College with a Gold SciFest STEM School Award

SciFest Senior School Liaison Officer, Clare Atkinson presenting Coláiste Pobail Setanta with a Silver SciFest STEM School Award 4

Congratulations to SciFest’s partner Boston Scientific who recently celebrated 30 years in Ireland with a family day on 25 May and a schools day on 29 May SciFest was delighted to be a part of the celebrations on 29 May.

SciFest@College 2024

Fifteen SciFest@College fairs took place from 19 April - 9 May 2024. The sixteenth, SciFest@NorthWest in St Mary's College in Derry, takes place on 25 June.

We were delighted to have so many of our partners and sponsors join us at SciFest@College fairs, judging and presenting awards We would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their continued support and we look forward to working with them next year.

The Best Project Award winners from each of the regional SciFest@College fairs have all qualified to compete in the SciFest National Final which will take place in Dublin on 29 November.

The Runner-up Best Project Award winners from each regional SciFest@College fair have been asked to submit their report books to SciFest by 27 September A panel of SciFest judges will then select the projects that will go forward to compete at the National Final

The winners of the Boston Scientific Medical Devices Award and the EirGrid Cleaner Climate Award have been asked to submit their report books and short two-minute videos by 27 September These will then be judged by panels of judges from Boston Scientific and EirGrid, respectively, to select the projects that will compete at the National Final

Students are advised to continue to work on their project between now and 29 September

A full list of SciFest@College 2024 Award winners can be viewed here.

At the National Final a panel of judges from academia and industry will select the winner of the SciFest STEM Champion/s 2024 Award. This award includes an allexpenses-paid trip to represent Ireland at the 2025 Regeneron ISEF competition in Columbus, Ohio, May 10-16, 2025

Laura Brennan and Aoibhilinn Heath, Desmond College, Limerick, Boston Scientific Medical Devices Award winners, SciFest@College, TUS Limerick

Alana McElroy and Megan Hurt, Coláiste Dún An Rí, Co. Cavan, EirGrid Cleaner Climate Award winners, SciFest@College, DkIT

Orlaith Connors, Gort Community School, Co Galway, Best Project Award winner, SciFest@ATU Galway

Callum Scott and Trevor Horan, Runnerup Best Project Award winners, Sligo Grammar School, SciFest@ATU Sligo

Eliza Simhas, Loreto St Michael’s Navan, Intel Technology Award winner, SciFest@TU Dublin Blanchardstown

Alumni Reflections

“SincestartingcollegeattheUniversityofGalway,Ihavenoticedthatforsomeofmy peers,enteringintoresearchatthirdlevelwithlittlepriorexposurecanbeadaunting task.Forme,continuingtopursueresearchatthirdlevelseemsanaturalprogression andalotofthisIcanonlyattributetomycontinuedparticipationinSciFestfroma youngageandthemotivatingenvironmentitcreatesforyoungpeopletoexplore scientificdomainsthatinterestthemandtogetexcitedaboutSTEM”.

ClareReidy,SciFestSTEMChampion2021

“Overall, I can trace my work and life to date back to that first application into SciFest I have become the person I am today because of the mission of the organisation: “To ensure every second-level student has an opportunity to develop critical STEM skillsets through participation in a STEM fair, irrespective of their ability, background or circumstance ” It is a time in my life that I will always look fondly on and appreciate to have had the opportunity to participate in ”

Timothy

Mc Grath, SciFest STEM Champion 2019

SciFest 2024 Partners and Sponsors