Science is not dead, dull or boring but alive and thriving all this week at the Esat BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition 2005 , writes Sheila Porter
With over 1,000 entries (up 22 per cent on last year) this exhibition is living proof that young people, despite opinion to the contrary, do enjoy science.
Whatever subject area they have chosen to research there is an excitement that this project might be the scientific breakthrough of the century. There rarely are such breakthroughs but the sentiment is what will encourage these students to pursue scientific studies into third level and beyond.
The atmosphere at the exhibition, held each year at the RDS in Dublin, is electric. The students, some as young as 12, have worked on their projects for several months. The projects encompass all aspects of science.
Perhaps what is most impressive about this science extravaganza is that every student taking part does so of their own free will.
Taking a stroll through the exhibition and chatting to the students is inspiring. The enthusiasm is infectious as each one proudly explains the results of their investigations. Science has become real to them, not simply something they have to study in school. They have begun to realise that the knowledge they have gained can be used to understand aspects of the world around them.
The thrill of the exhibition is not limited to the students. It gives teachers the chance to encourage their students to investigate an aspect of science in which the student has a particular interest.
And there is nothing more encouraging to a teacher than to see so many young people take such an active interest in their subject outside of school hours - I must admit I am probably as addicted to the buzz at the RDS as some of my students. It is also an ideal time to meet other teachers. Many of the same "old faces" appear year after year so, like the students, the teachers often make lasting friendships.
I have been involved in the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition for many years. When I return to school each September I immediately start to pin up posters announcing next year's exhibition. Each year I enter about 50 students (around 20 projects). They need little encouragement. Invariably I am astounded at the enthusiasm, resourcefulness and creativity on offer.
Loreto College students have realised that "you don't have to be a nerd" to be good at science. It is not, as sometimes suggested, just for the super-intelligent. Young Scientist meetings are held at lunchtime, experiments carried out after school, between basketball practice, choir or soccer practice.
The resource centre and the computers are taken over and the quiet of the library is disrupted. Parents get involved, giving lifts, providing meals and allowing friends to stay overnight to work on their project. Students come into school voluntarily for two full days over the Christmas holidays.
Projects are bound and unbound. A page has been left out. Who misspelled the name of the school? As each project is finished it is examined with pride. The feelings of satisfaction are palpable.
We should more eagerly embrace the interest shown by our students and use it to enhance their science education by encouraging them to use this investigative hands-on approach to learning science.
This develops a love and understanding of the subject, and what better reason to choose a subject for Leaving Certificate than that you enjoy it? When I ask them why they are willing to devote so much time and labour to their projects, they reply: "It's fun"
And how can it not be? They have put effort into producing their projects. They have combined research, experimental and presentation skills to verify or expand a scientific point. They can then display the results in a hall full of like-minded peers. They are judged and some are rewarded. But they have all achieved a great deal and are gratified, whether their triumph is public or personal.
Of course it is not only the science that excites the students but also the social aspects of the exhibition. The students enjoy seeing the other projects and in discussing them they not only further their scientific knowledge but also make friends with like-minded students from all over the country.
I ask those who doubt the life left in science to take a trip to the RDS this week and visit the Esat BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition. See the creativity, feel the excitement, and appreciate the atmosphere of scientific exploration. Science is not dead.