Westmeath students wanted for next year's BT Young Scientist Exhibition

The organisers of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition have called on Westmeath students to sign up for next year's competition.

For the second consecutive year, Europe’s largest national Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) event will be a virtual affair taking place from the 12th -14th January 2022. Now in its 58th year, the BTYSTE showcases the incredible ability of Irish students to create and test potential solutions that tackle everything from everyday problems to some of the biggest, global issues of our time. Once again BT Ireland, the exhibition organiser, has waived project entry fees for participating students.

Students that are chosen to present their projects in the virtual exhibition hall will be vying for some of the 200 plus prizes that will be up for grabs across four categories and age groups. The overall top prize is a trophy, €7,500 prize money and the opportunity to represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS).

Speaking at the launch of BTYSTE 2022, BT Ireland Managing Director Shay Walsh said: “The BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition is a staple in the school calendar and is an exciting and fun way for young minds to engage with Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects.

"We are thrilled to give students the opportunity once again to challenge themselves and use their ingenuity to come up with fresh new ideas, solutions and approaches in the world of STEM. It’s very exciting to know that thousands of students across Ireland will be working on projects in the weeks and months ahead.”

Speaking at the launch of BTYSTE 2022 today, Mairead Cusack, Moate Community School teacher, and one of the recipients of the Educator of Excellence Award said: “We’ve always considered the BTYSTE a fun and exciting way to build our student’s interest in science and we were delighted when one of our teams won best overall group at January’s exhibition. I’m always so proud when I see the ideas students have and how excited they are to carry out their investigations.”

BTYSTE 2022 is open to second-level students aged between 12 and 19 years. To enter, an individual or group must submit a one-page proposal outlining their project idea. Entries can be made in any one of four categories: technology; social and behavioural science; biological and ecological science; and chemical, physical and mathematical science. The deadline for submissions is Monday, 27th September 2021. Visit btyoungscientist.com for more information.