By: Hannah Daygo
12 secondary schools in Meath were selected for the BT Young Scientist and Technology exhibition (BTYSTE), which will take place this January.
One of the world’s largest communications companies, BT Ireland, hosted the event which was open to all secondary school students ages 12 to 19 interested in technological, ecological, and scientific innovation.
19 of the 550 projects selected by BT Ireland, came from Meath and qualified to participate in the three-day virtual exhibition scheduled for 12-14 January, 2022. Participants worked on projects in technology, biological and ecological sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and chemical, physical, and mathematical sciences. Seven technology-based topics, five biological and ecological sciences as well as four social and behavioral sciences and four chemical, physical, and mathematical sciences.
As stated by BT Ireland, the event is a great opportunity for students “to develop their confidence and meet other people”. As well as providing students with the chance to express their passion for science, technology and the environment.
Projects were divided into four categories, seven technology-based topics, five biological and ecological sciences as well as four social and behavioral sciences and four chemical, physical, and mathematical sciences.
Among the technology focused projects, Ashbourne Community School focused on T.O.F.A.S. (The Outdoor Fire Alarm System). Beaufort College worked on the “Local Chatter” project and a group from Dunshaughlin Community College worked on the “Hovering Holder” project.
Students at Ratoath College investigated an ‘electrical power jet engine,’and students from St Ciaran’s looked at the building of a computer. The two groups of students at St. Joseph’s Secondary School focused on optimising “domestic battery usage” using a mobile app, another group examined the “bottomless bucket” idea.
Enfield Community College, Loreto Secondary School, St Patrick’s Classical School, and St. Joseph Secondary School all featured biology and ecology. They looked at topics ranging from Irish dancers’ fitness and flexibility compared to non-Irish dancers, to the impact of sward grazing on milk production, gaming response time, and micro-plastic consumption.
The effect of carbon dioxide on concentration, how technology affects our brains, how lockdown impacts the fitness levels of girls, and how fake and real news affect students are all under the category of social and behavioral education of BTYSTE. These were made by Enfield Community College, Eureka Secondary School, and Laytown & Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School.
Students from Enfield Community College, Boyne Community School, Dunshaughlin Community College, and St. Patrick’s Classical School investigated, explored, and investigated topics related to Chemical, Physical & Mathematical Sciences in the category.
Meath South East News 