Our 2nd Year students took part in SciFest@School on Tuesday, the 24th of February in the PE hall.
SciFest is a national STEM fair programme for second-level students, encouraging a love of STEM and inquiry-based learning. The programme is funded primarily by Intel Ireland, Boston Scientific, EirGrid, Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and the Department of Education. It is also supported by a number of other companies and organisations.
A SciFest@School is where a second-level school hosts their own in-house SciFest science fair. SciFest@School was introduced in 2011 and there has been strong demand from schools to participate. SciFest@School is the first strand of the SciFest programme. Second-level students can also participate in SciFest@College in one of the 16 regional SciFest@College venues, DkIT, TU Dublin (3 venues), MTU (2 venues), TUS (3 venues), ATU (3 venues), SETU (2 venues), DCU or St Mary’s College, Derry. Winners from these fairs go on to compete in a national final each November in Dublin for the chance to represent Ireland at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the USA, the Eskom EXPO for Young Scientists and the Long Night of Science in Berlin. In 2024 more than 15,000 second-level students from over 300 schools participated in the SciFest programme.
The students completed their Science CBA which was an extended experimental investigation (EEI). This investigation was on display in the PE hall for SciFest. There were a range of projects displayed – about renewable energy sources, forces, photosynthesis, radiation, various different applications of science in sports and many more scientific ideas.
Our winners, see list below, will go on to compete at the SciFest@College 2025 regional fair in TUS Athlone.
Scifest Best Project Award
What is the best method of heat protection?
Maria Haritonceva & Laura Jackson
Scifest Runners-up Best Project Award
The effect of different substances on osmosis
Eve Donnellan & Allannah Daniel
How light effects photosynthesis
Millie Daly, Molly Elliffe, & Annmarie Leahy
Scifest Award
Egg Drop
Daniel Flangan
Eir Grid Cleaner Climate Award
Between solar and wind power, which would be the superior power source?
Casey O’Sullivan
Mallinckrodt STEM Excellence Award
To investigate which liquids rust metal the fastest.
Deirdre O’Brien
Communication Award
Measure the difference in acceleration of two different toy cars
Jan Krzeptowki & Stas Ostapowicz
How do different surfaces effect the bounce height of a soccer ball?
Cathal Slevin, Shane Costello, & Conor O’Neill
Display Award
Factors affecting photosynthesis
Kasia Burke
Students’ Vote Award
What substance makes the most effect lamp?
Laura Coyne, Alana Nannery, & Grace Guilfoyle
Good luck to all the students at the regional fair in TUS Athlone on Wednesday, the 9th of April.
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