Young Scientists to get university scholarships

Leaving Cert level students who take part in January's BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition could win an entrance scholarship to the Irish university of their choice.

For the first time, scholarships of €1,000 will be awarded to every fifth and sixth year student who wins first place in either the individual or group categories at the exhibition.

In addition, a €2,000 scholarship will be awarded to any fifth and sixth year student that wins the overall 2015 BT Young Scientist and Technologist of the Year award.

Fifth year students who receive the entrance scholarship prize will be able to "bank" their award until sixth year, when they make their university applications. The scholarships will be awarded to students from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland who are eligible for the prize

Harness learning

President and Chair of the National Stem (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) review group, Prof Brian MacCraith, said the universities were delighted to encourage and harness Stem learning across the island: “We want to recognise the efforts and enhanced learning experience of those students that participate in the exhibition, as they approach their third level education.”

BT also announced today that it was adding two Educator of Excellence prizes for teachers at the upcoming exhibition. A prize of €2,000 each will be awarded to two teachers in both the Biological and Ecological Sciences category and the Social and Behavioural Sciences category for their contributions to Stem education.

The exhibition will take place in the RDS in Dublin from January 7th-10th, 2015 and is open to visitors from Thursday, January 8th, 2015.