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Minister of State Helen McEntee, T.D. presents Science for Development Award at BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2018

Killorglin Community College Win Award for an investigation into the use of genetic engineering to target bacteria that cause cholera.

Minister of State for European Affairs, Helen McEntee, TD, has this evening presented the Irish Aid-sponsored ‘Science for Development’ Award to Timothy McGrath of Killorglin Community College at this year’s BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition. Timothy McGrath won the Award for their project on an investigation into the use of genetic engineering to target bacteria that cause cholera.

Speaking in the RDS, Minister of State McEntee commented:

“I congratulate Timothy McGrath on his excellent project, which deservedly won the Science for Development Award this year. I also congratulate all the other students who have produced really impressive projects on global development-related themes.”

For over 50 years the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition has played an integral role in encouraging Ireland’s young people to realise their full scientific potential. The Science for Development Award encourages teachers and students to develop ideas, using appropriate scientific technology that may prove useful at local community level in the developing world.
The Minister said:
“I was really inspired by the students I met at the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition today. I am delighted to support an award which encourages young people to use their time and scientific expertise to question, explore and examine how to improve the lives of the most vulnerable.
I see real value here in harnessing the technological innovation and creativity of our young people to support sustainable development.

I was also delighted to meet participants and organisers from Young Scientists Tanzania and Young Scientists Kenya, both of which have been inspired by the Irish Young Scientists Exhibition.”


Notes for Editors

BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition

The annual BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition is attended by over 60,000 people which includes members of the public as well as students and teachers from across Ireland. This year marks the 54th year of the exhibition, making it one of the longest standing exhibitions of its kind in the world. This year the competition received 2,031 projects from a total of 4,251 students from every county in Ireland. 1,100 secondary school students from the 550 shortlisted projects will exhibit their work at the exhibition.

Science for Development Award
Irish Aid and Gorta-Self Help Africa jointly sponsor a special category award known as the Science for Development Award. This is the thirteenth year that Irish Aid has provided €5,000 towards the award which aims to encourage teachers and students to develop ideas, using appropriate scientific technology that may prove useful at local community level in the Global South, to reduce poverty and promote social justice. This can give the students a greater insight into the wider world, and their role as global citizens.
The winners of the award receive a perpetual trophy and a €5,000 bursary for students and their teacher to travel on a fact-finding/field testing visit to a country in Africa, in association with Gorta-Self Help Africa. In 2017 Jack O'Connor and Diarmuid Curtin from Desmond College, Limerick won the award for their project Ergonomic Planter. They will travel to Malawi next month as part of their prize.

Young Scientists Tanzania and Young Scientists Kenya
Young Scientists Tanzania (YST) was established in 2011 with funding from the Irish Embassy in Tanzania in its early years. The Irish Embassy is a strong supporter of the competition, promoting it throughout Tanzania and providing contacts and links with the Tanzania system and Ireland’s Ambassador to Tanzania attended the awards ceremony in August 2017.
Young Scientists Kenya was launched in 2017, with Dr. Vincent O’Neill, Irish Ambassador to Kenya, and Dr Tony Scott, Founder of Young Science and Technology Exhibition (Ireland) in attendance. YSK has been supported by funding from Irish Aid and is also supported by the Government of Kenya and by private sector sponsorship. This year Ambassador O’Neill will attend the BTYSTE along with Michael Waiyaki of the Young Scientists Kenya Board and Eric Nyamwaro, Young Scientists Kenya Partnerships and Programme Director.