Secondary school students from across Donegal took part in a STEM project exhibition in Atlantic Technological University Donegal, Letterkenny on Wednesday 18th of May, as part of the 2022 SciFest Competition.
The event was coordinated by the ATU Faculty of Engineering and Technology with 104 students from across Donegal in attendance. The students displayed over 50 projects along the ATU main concourse on the day, covering a wide variety of interesting topics.
The SciFest Best Project Winner was awarded to Hughie McShane, of Ms Donna Furey’s class in Abbey Vocational School, Donegal town, for his project titled, ‘An app to improve writing in children with dysgraphia’. Best Project Runner-Up was also from Ms Furey’s class, which was won by Micheál Deely and CJ Burke with their project called, ‘A dyslexia lamp with a difference’.
The Best Project award winners from the SciFest@College 2022 regional STEM fairs will participate in the National Final competition, which takes place in November in Dublin. Participants in the national final will compete for the SciFest STEM Champion 2022 Award. This consists of a trophy and an all-expenses-paid trip for the winning student(s) and their mentor to represent Ireland at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Dallas, Texas in May 2023.
Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology said: “The Faculty of Engineering and Technology was delighted to host the first face-to-face SciFest competition in ATU Donegal since 2019. Every year I am so impressed by the high standard of projects displayed.”
Presenters of the SciFest awards included George Porter, CFO of SciFest, and Emma Horgan, Research and Development Engineer at Boston Scientific. The ATU Awards were presented by Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar of ATU Donegal.
SciFest is an all-island competition where second-level students showcase their science, technology, engineering, and maths projects at a series of one day science fairs held in 16 Higher Education Institutes across Ireland. The SciFest science fairs programme offers an innovative way to expose students to, and enhance their understanding, of STEM projects.
SciFest@College affords students the opportunity to visit a third-level college, view the facilities, and get information on the various STEM courses available. The event is regionally based and is open to all secondary schools in the region with free entry, meaning that SciFest is both accessible and inclusive.
Saoirse Woods & Leah Mullen from Loreto Secondary School, Letterkenny who were winners in the Physical Sciences section at Scifest held in ATU Donegal. Pictured receiving their award from Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar of ATU Donegal and Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology.Photo by Gerard McHugh
Siobhan Herrity ,Loreto Community School Milford pictured receiving the SciFest Chemistry Award from Mr George Porter, CFO of SciFest, on behalf of Rose Gaffey, Ava Molloy, Darcy McGranaghan, included in the photo are Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar of ATU Donegal and Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology.Photo by Gerard McHugh
Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Emma Horgan, Research and Development Engineer at Boston Scientific and Jonathan Morrow of Donegal ATU pictured at Scifest held in ATU Donegal.Photo by Gerard McHugh
Csenge Bodnar Loreta College Letterkenny who received Vermilion Energy,
Energy Innovation Award at Scifest held in the ATU Letterkenny from Mr George Porter, CFO of SciFest, included in the photo are Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar of ATU Donegal and Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology.Photo by Gerard McHugh
Claire Donaghey, Loreto Community School, Milford receives the Esero Discover Space Award on behalf of Darragh Kerr for his project How Many Potatoes Would It Take To Get You To The Moon from Mr George Porter, CFO of SciFest, included in the photo are Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar of ATU Donegal and Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology.Photo by Gerard McHugh
Ultan Sweeney, Meabh Cannon, Xinyi Chen, Rosses Community School pictured receiving their award from Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar of ATU Donegal and Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology in the Life Sciences category section for their project The Effect Of Music On Studying.Photo by Gerard McHugh
Adithi Vijayakumar, Loreto Secondary School, Letterkenny receives her award for runner up in the Technology section from Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar of ATU Donegal .Photo by Gerard McHugh
Micheál Deely, C J Burke from the Abbey Vocational School Donegal Town receive the SciFest Best Project Award Runner Up from from Mr George Porter, CFO of SciFest, included in the photo are Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar of ATU Donegal and Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology.Photo by Gerard McHugh
Michael Masterson Abbey vocational School Donegal Town receives the Business Excellence Institute Award from Mr George Porter, CFO of SciFest, included in the photo are Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar of ATU Donegal and Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology.Photo by Gerard McHugh
Grace Masterson Abbey vocational School Donegal Town receives the Intel Technology Award from Mr George Porter, CFO of SciFest, included in the photo are Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar of ATU Donegal and Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology.Photo by Gerard McHugh
The judging panel for Scifest held in the ATU Donegal.
Maya Lenehan Abbey Vocational School Donegal Town who received Irish Science Teachers
Association Award at Scifest held in the ATU Letterkenny from Mr George Porter, CFO of SciFest, for her project “To Connect and Sustain, The Donegal Train” included in the photo are Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar of ATU Donegal and Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology.Photo by Gerard McHugh
Hughie McShane Abbey vocational School Donegal Town receives the. Scifest Best Project Winner from Mr George Porter, CFO of SciFest, for his project “An app to improve writing in children with dysgraphiain” included in the photo are Billy Bennett, VP for Academic Affairs and Registrar of ATU Donegal and Dr Gertie Taggart, Head of Faculty of Engineering and Technology.Photo by Gerard McHugh