An all-inclusive, all-island science competition SciFest gives second-level students showcase their science, technology and maths projects at a series of one day science fairs held in the 14 regional Institutes of Technology and the University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Derry. The winners from Scifest@ITB will go on to compete at the national final in November. The SciFest programme is primarily sponsored by Science Foundation Ireland's Discover Science & Engineering Programme and Intel Ireland.
Entries to this year’s SciFest have broken all records with up to 4000 students exhibiting their projects at the 15 venues over April, May and June. This year, SciFest@ITB will see a range of students take varying and fantastic approaches to science; projects include;
- ‘An Investigation into water immersion – wrinkling of the fingers’,
- ‘Compost Power Charger’ and
- ‘Can colour determine your mood positively or negatively?’.
Commenting on SciFest@ITB, Prof Mark Ferguson, Director General, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) said: “SFI is pleased to support SciFest as it is vital that we engage and encourage our young people to increase their knowledge of science and engineering. It is these skills that are required to drive sustainable economic recovery in Ireland. We are pleased that SciFest and related competitions support SFI’s new strategy, Agenda 2020, as they are helping ‘to have an engaged and scientifically informed public.’ Activities such as SciFest play a key role in encouraging young people to study STEM subjects.”
ITB SciFest co-ordinator Aideen Hodgins, said, “We are really delighted with this year’s event and it is great to see so many schools and teachers getting involved , we have had a big increase in the number of schools and students participating in the event including a number of schools who haven’t visited ITB before.”
Sheila Porter, SciFest CEO, said; “SciFest is a fun and exciting way to encourage an interest in science at school level, providing not only an occasion to celebrate achievement and a job well done but also an opportunity to encourage active and collaborative learning. The rapid increase in participation in the competition is a clear indication of the interest and enthusiasm among students and teachers in the investigative approach to teaching and learning science.”
Note
The SciFestprogramme is primarily sponsored by Science Foundation Ireland’s Discover Science & Engineering Programme and Intel Ireland.It is also supported by a number of other companies and organisations.
