Young scientists excel in projects
By Brendan Grehan
THERE was great representation from schools across South Dublin in this year’s Young Scientist Exhibition in the RDS.
Kishoge Community College took home two awards. Marcin Witkowski and Oscar Gomez Keenan won a special award for their project which created “an intuitive simulation for modelling laws of light”.
Oscar Gomez Keenan and Marcin Witowski from Kishogue Community College with their project ‘Creating an intuitive simulation for modelling laws of light’
Marcin and Oscar created a computer simulation that modelled the mechanics of light.
Madalina Costovici and Nedas Smigelskas from Kishoge Community College were highly commended for their project on facial recognition.
Madalina and Nedas used Artificial Intelligence to measure the well-being of students in schools and, with the data collected, help schools improve emotional well being.
Coláiste Chilliain’s Kirsten Ní Ghamhna was Highly Commended for her project entitled :
“Ar cheart go mbeadh suíocháin aghaidh ar chúl éigeantach?”
Kirstin Ní Ghamhna, from Colaiste Chillian Clondalkin, and her project ‘Ar Cheart go Mbeadh Suichain aghaidh ar chul eigeantach’
Templeogue College’s Joshua Butler was also Highly Commended for his project on “Synthesis”.
Joshua created a piece of software that makes use of ESA satellites to compare, contrast and identify the health of plants in a region.
June Polgolla, from Loreto High School in Rathfarnham, was also Highly Commended for her project entitled:
“Investigating the antimicrobial effects of herbal plant and vegetable extracts against a plant pathogen”.
June tested several herbal plant and vegetable extracts against a plant pathogen called ‘Pseudomonas syringae pathovar tomato DC 3000’, using the Agar Well-Diffusion Method.
Eoin Whelan and MJ Moore from Moyle Park College Clondalkin with their project ‘Can we control algae growth? An investigation into algae blooms and light exposure in a domestic fish tank’
Eoin Whelan and MJ Moore from Moyle Park College in Clondalkin looked into controlling algae growth.
They investigated preventing algae growth in a fish tank.
Also from Moyle Park, Cian Roche looked into how owning a dog can increase the amount of exercise the owner takes.
Eoghan Halpin and Mathew McKenna from Moyle Park College Clondalkin and their project ‘To investigate the lung capacity of different age groups based on their activity levels’
Moyle Park was also represented by Eoghan Halpin and Matthew McKenna who investigated the lung capacity of different age groups based on their activity levels.
Abbie Brennan, Sophie Burns and Alyssa Burns from Loreto High School in Rathfarnham examined if diesel car filters benefit the environment.
Also from Loreto High School, Claire Crowley and Athen Wu examined how the physical harm associated with outfield players in hockey can be mitigated. They created a shock absorbing shirt that protects an outfield players back from the impact of an accelerating hockey ball.
Loreto High students Ellie McEneaney, Lucy O’Donnell and Ella Feehan examined if opposites really attract.
Ellie, Lucy and Ella carried out an investigation into whether people are attracted to someone who resembles themselves.
Taha Fareed and Jevin Joy, from Coláiste Phádraig, built a wearable smart device for children who have autism spectrum disorder. The device adjusts the environmental conditions in a room to help the wearer.
Aisling Corcoran, from Pobailscoil Iosolde Palmerstown, investigated the effect of excess nitrates found in Precipitation on Plant Life in Areas with High Levels of Atmospheric NO2.
Pobailscoil Iosolde were also represented by Amelia Andrews who examined if black soldier fly larvae could be used as a bio fuel.
Rathfarnham’s Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh had two projects in the competition.
Paige Nic Sheanlaoich and Ella Ní Chorcoráin’s project was entitled “Tuairimí déagóirí fireann agus baineann ar an inscne eile”.
Alex Ó’hÉideáin’s entry was entitled: “Feol i gcoinne Quorn.”
Lucan Community College’s Ronak Pathak looked into heat power. They used a thermoelectric generator to convert useless heat energy into useful electrical energy.
Ronak Pothak from Lucan Community College and his project ‘Heat Power’
Terenure College’s Jack Mulvihill, Matthew Heffernan and Rory Maher developed a material for roads that is visible in the rain whilst maintaining a high longevity.
Ross Manning and Roshan Jagan from Meanscoil Iognáid Rís in Walkinstown designed a website called “HealthPal”.
The website promotes health and fitness among their fellow students and is fully coded with HTML and css.
Two transition-year students from County Cork were the overall winners.
Cormac Harris (16) and Alan O’Sullivan (16) of Coláiste Choilm in Ballinchollig developed an education programme to counter gender stereotyping in response to their findings.
