VOLUME 13, NUMBER 3
FEBRUARY 2022
SCIFEST EZINE SciFest - A Leader in Second-level STEM Education
SciFest Ireland’s most inclusive STEM fair programme enters its 17th year
SciFest launches 2022 programme with a call for entrants to regional competition SciFest, Ireland’s largest and most inclusive STEM fair programme for second-level students has announced its return for the 17th consecutive year. The competition attracts 10,000 student participants annually and
In this issue: Students from Sandymount Park ETSS Celebrate STEM at Launch of SciFest 2022
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Schools Continue to Register to Host SciFest@School STEM Fairs
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thinking, and presentation skills while fostering an interest in STEM
Second Year Student to Represent Ireland in the USA
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fields. Project entries will be accepted across a range of scientific
EiGrid SciFest@School Award
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SciFest@College 2022 - Venues and Awards
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Contact Details
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organisers have kicked off the 2022 competition with a call for entrants to the 16 SciFest@College regional fairs. SciFest is free to enter and open to everyone across the island of Ireland, no matter their background or circumstances. The goal of SciFest is to help students develop research, problem solving, critical
disciplines. The deadline for completed entry forms for SciFest@College 2022 is 11 March. The competition is eyeing a return to in-person fairs having successfully hosted the previous two years’ programmes online due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Students from Sandymount Park ETSS Celebrate STEM at Launch of SciFest 2022
Speaking at the launch Clare Reidy, SciFest STEM Champion 2021 said:
SciFest was officially launched on 7 February with the help of students from Sandymount Park ETSS. It was a cold day but the students bravely withstood the wind and the cold on Sandymount beach to participate in a photoshoot to celebrate the launch. Thank you to (left to right in the photograph below), Madison, Alexander, Sinéad, Dominik, James, Luigi, Zara and Noa and to their teacher Conor Maxwell and school principal, Paula Mulhall.
Covid permitting, the majority of the SciFest@College STEM fairs 2022 will take place 'live' in the third-level colleges this year.
“I loved every minute of the SciFest experience last year and winning the competition was a source of great pride for me and my family. SciFest enabled me to research something that intrigued me, and it helped sharpen the skills I needed to investigate it. Winning SciFest means I get to travel to Regeneron ISEF in the United States and I’m really looking forward to representing Ireland. I’d encourage students with an interest in STEM subjects to give SciFest a go because it will give you the tools to come up with ideas and solutions for real problems and existing issues.”
Speaking at the launch Sheila Porter, SciFest Founder and CEO said:
The latest and full details for entering SciFest@College and registering for SciFest@School can be found on www.scifest.ie. PLease check the website regularly for updates.
Schools continue to register to host SciFest@School STEM fairs We are delighted to see that over 50 schools have in the current academic year registered to host a SciFest@School STEM fair. Around 10 of these fairs took place successfully in the first term. A full list of schools registered to host SciFest@School 2021/2022 fairs can be viewed on the SciFest website here. SciFest@School fairs can be held virtually or as live in-school events, at any time throughout the academic year and for as few or as many projects as suits the school. The diversity of approaches to SciFest@School fairs during Covid has been incredible. For teachers the pandemic has meant adapting their SciFest@School plan and coming up with a Covid-safe model, demonstrating that challenging times can foster innovation.
“I’m always so pleased to launch SciFest, and this year is no different. We are now entering the 17th year of SciFest, and I continue to be staggered by the high standard of submissions we receive each year. We’re immensely proud of this competition and the opportunities it offers students. These kids are the doctors, scientists and innovators of tomorrow and we are calling on all students, regardless of their circumstance or current STEM abilities to join us for SciFest 2022.”
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EirGrid sponsor a Climate and Delivering a Cleaner Energy Future Award at each
Second year student to represent Ireland in theUSA
SciFest@School
A second year student at Gaelcholáiste Chiarraí, Tralee will represent Ireland in the United States after winning the SciFest Broadcom MASTERS International Award. Grace Ní Ifearnáin was named winner of this prestigious award for her innovative research investigating the effect of juglone on Japanese knotweed. The award will see her participating in the Broadcom MASTERS International programme in Atlanta, Georgia in May. Grace set out to see if she could identify a natural method for controlling Japanese knotweed. She established that the Black Walnut tree could have a herbicidal effect on surrounding plants and discovered that this was due to a natural organic compound called juglone. With support from MTU Tralee she showed that a solution of juglone from the tree had potential to be used as a natural control for Japanese knotweed. The Broadcom MASTERS International programme provides a unique opportunity for secondary school junior students from around the world to participate in an exciting educational programme, including hands-on science and engineering activities, visits to museums and science centres and the opportunity to attend the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. Places on the programme are highly coveted with just 25 delegates representing 22 countries, regions and territories invited. This is the fourth consecutive year a SciFest student has been invited to participate.
Rayaa, Leona and Daniella from Christ King Girls' Secondary School, Cork
Best Project Award winners, SciFest@School Stratford College, Dublin
Speaking about her award win, Grace Ní Ifearnáin said: "I’m delighted to win the Broadcom MASTERS International Award. It’s a great honour to have my research acknowledged and a fantastic reward for all the hard work that went into my project. I really enjoyed working on my research for SciFest and would encourage others to get involved this year. I want to also thank my parents, sister and Grandad, teachers and SciFest for all they’ve done to encourage me; go raibh mile maith agaibh go léir. I can’t wait to represent Ireland at the Broadcom MASTERS International in May.”
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Contact Details: Email: info@scifest.ie Mobile: 0863796143 Website: www.scifest.ie
SciFest@College 2022 SciFest@College STEM fairs will take place at 16 regional venues during April and May:
TU Dublin Grangegorman
TUS Athlone
TU Dublin Blanchardstown
GMIT
TU Dublin Tallaght
LYIT
St Mary's College Derry
WIT
MTU Cork
IT Sligo
MTU Tralee
IT Carlow
TUS Moylish
DkIT
TUS Thurles
DCU
Teachers and students are advised to check the website regularly for updates.
www.scifest.ie
SciFest@College 2022 Awards Chemistry Award
There are lots of awards to be won at each of the 16 SciFest@College venues. These include:
SciFest 2022 Best Project Award
SciFest 2022
SciFest 2022
Intel Technology Award
Boston Scientific Medical Devices Award
SciFest 2022 Runner-up Best Project Award School Chemistry Award
Institute of Physics Award
Smurfit Kappa Sustainability Award
ESERO Discover Space Award
Fenergo Commumications
Award
Accenture Maths Award
Business Excellence Institute Award
ISTA Award
NatPro Award
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