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Navan Cousins from Loreto St Michael’s Secondary School, Navan win SciFest@ITB

150 Post-primary school students from 13 schools from Dublin taking science to the next level with over 70 projects at SciFest@ITB (The Institute of Technology Blanchardstown) 2017~

The Institute of Technology Blanchardstown were delighted to award Hannah Nugent and Katie Rattigan from Loreto St Michael’s Secondary School, Navan as the overall winners of the Science Foundation Ireland Best Project Award at Scifest@ITB 2017 out of over 70 projects exhibited. The students from Loreto Navan are cousins and dedicated their project called ‘Stopping the Shake’ to their Grandad, Jim Nugent. After a very exciting awards ceremony the girls said , “We are so happy to win this award on behalf of the school. We want to say a special thank you to the Motor Shop in Navan, our teacher Dr Lisa Varley and to all the girls from Loreto Navan who did so well at Scifest@ITB today, winning over 13 awards”.

As one of the 16 regional venues hosting a SciFest science fair, SciFest@ITB saw more than 150 students from schools all over the region exhibit almost 70 projects at the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown and put their knowledge of science to the test.

ITB SciFest Co-Ordinator Aideen Hodgins said of this year’s competition “ITB are delighted to be involved in SciFest. It's a wonderful opportunity for the students and encourages them to develop an interest in STEM. We look forward to welcoming schools from Dublin 15, the greater Dublin region, Meath and Kildare to participate in SciFest@ITB 2017”.

SciFest is an all-inclusive, all-island science initiative, which fosters active, collaborative and inquiry-based learning among second-level students. SciFest is funded primarily by Science Foundation Ireland, Boston Scientific, Intel and Abbott.

Commenting on the SciFest@[Insert College] fair Sheila Porter, SciFest CEO said: “2016 was another hugely successful year for SciFest with a record number of students taking part. In total over 8,000 students presented their projects in local and regional science fairs across the country. This year we are celebrating 10 years of SciFest science fairs. In that time the number of students participating has increased five-fold and they have produced an amazing range of subjects across the STEM disciplines. SciFest gives students an excellent opportunity to develop their interest in STEM and inquiry-based approaches to learning, while developing their creative and problem-solving skills and learning to work in a team.”

SciFest 2017 will be the third year of the prestigious Boston Scientific Medical Devices Award, which is presented at each of the 16 regional science fairs; the overall winner of this award will receive the Boston Scientific Medical Devices Trophy at the national final in November.

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For further information, imagery from the day or to speak to the winners, please contact: Ann-Marie Sheehan, Aspire PR T : 087 298 5569 or E : annmarie@aspire-pr.com

 

Notes to editor

ITB

ITB is located in Blanchardstown, a growing suburb of Dublin. Our modern 56 acre campus is situated in one of the key industrial, commercial, retail and pharmaceutical hubs in Ireland. With its state of the art facilities and recent 1 million euro investment in our Food Production and Urban Horticulture facility, ITB has been pursuing its mission of making education accessible to a diversity of learners since 1999. ITB's focus is on a relevant, vibrant curriculum, innovative teaching and excellent student supports.

Since it was established, ITB has been firmly embedded within its Community. ITB offers a range of practice-based, career-focused programmes to over 3500 learners through our full-time, part-time and online programmes.

Following publication of the National Strategy for Higher Education in January 2011, a framework for reform within the Irish Higher Education landscape has been established. Included in that framework is a different type of university for Ireland – a Technological University. Three institutions in the Dublin region – ITB, DIT and ITT - have come together to explore the benefits of structured cooperation and collaboration and to jointly seek designation as a new unitary university, providing educational opportunities that are practice-based and research-informed.

ITB, DIT and ITT established a formal alliance in October 2011 and since then colleagues from the three institutions have been working together to develop a programme of work which will culminate in the submission of a joint application for designation as a Technological University.

About SciFest

SciFest is an all-inclusive, all-island science initiative which fosters active, collaborative and inquiry-based learning among second-level students. It involves second-level students showcasing science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) projects at a series of one day science fairs held locally in schools and regionally in the 14 Institutes of Technology, DCU and St. Mary’s College, Derry. SciFest is funded primarily by Science Foundation Ireland, Boston Scientific, Intel and Abbott. The winners from each regional science fair go on to compete at a national final in November 2017.

For more information please go to the SciFest website: www.scifest.ie

 

About Science Foundation Ireland

Science Foundation Ireland funds oriented basic and applied research in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) which promotes and assists the development and competitiveness of industry, enterprise and employment in Ireland. The Foundation also promotes and supports the study of, education in and engagement with, STEM and promotes an awareness and understanding of the value of STEM to society and in particular to the growth of the economy. For more information visit www.sfi.ie.