Mayo students win EirGrid Climate Award at SciFest regional finals
Three students from St. Muredach's College, Ballina, have taken home the prestigious EirGrid Cleaner Climate Award following their win at the SciFest@College 2024 regional competition at ATU Sligo.
Over 100 students from schools across Mayo, Sligo and surrounding counties came together with their second-level student peers and teachers to compete in the STEM fair showcasing projects on a range of topics from mental health and physics to renewable energy.
Oisin Mullarkey, Billy Ruane and Fiachra Mahony impressed judges with their project entitled 'To compare the dry matter content of wilted and non-wilted grass'. Their winning submission was selected from 46 projects on show at the college campus event.
SciFest@College is a programme of STEM fairs for second-level students, taking place in 16 regional colleges across Ireland. Now in its 19th year, the SciFest programme is open to second-level students, with the aim of promoting STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths) education and providing a platform for students to present and display their scientific projects.
EirGrid, the operator and developer of Ireland’s electricity grid, partnered with SciFest to develop the EirGrid Cleaner Climate Award, which celebrates second level students who research and design projects to address challenges posed by climate or energy focused issues.
Congratulating the winning entrants on their successful project, Claire Wallace, interim head of strategy and sustainability with EirGrid, commented: “At EirGrid we are passionate about giving young people the opportunity to showcase their ambitious and solution-driven ideas to addressing climate change. Many congratulations to Oisin, Billy and Fiachra!
“Through our partnership with SciFest, EirGrid are proud to support the promotion of STEM subjects as the next generation is inspired to seek solutions to climate change and the energy transition.”
As a result of their successful project, Oisin, Billy and Fiachra will now progress to the SciFest national final in November for a chance to represent Ireland at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in May 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.