Athlone student wins SciFest Regional Final at TUS

Athlone Community College student Aditya Surendran won top honours at the SciFest Regional Final held in TUS Midlands this week.

His project on improving the scalability of blockchain and banking systems, which earned him the SciFest Best Project award, explores how modern digital systems can stay secure and efficient as they scale to larger networks.

By improving how information is shared between systems, the research aims to make them faster, more reliable and better suited to real-world use.

He has developed a working prototype and carried out extensive testing under simulated real-world conditions, with early results showing strong performance as networks scale.

Aditya will now progress to the SciFest National Final, where he will compete for the opportunity to represent Ireland at the prestigious International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles in May 2027.

During the course of the Regional Final 360 secondary school students from across the Midlands presented 174 projects showcasing innovation, creativity and problem-solving skills with an impressive range of projects on display.

There were also a number of projects that caught the attention of judges for their creativity and originality, including a standout “Cardboard Self-Defence Arm” project by Shauna Okoh from Loreto College, Mullingar, which proved a real talking point on the day and showcased an imaginative, hands-on approach to STEM.

The project explores how a simple, accessible device could help people protect themselves at a safe distance, particularly given that many individuals may lack the skills or confidence to defend themselves in unsafe situations.

As one of 15 regional venues nationwide, SciFest@TUS Athlone saw students tackle real-world challenges through science, technology, engineering and maths, demonstrating both technical skill and creative problem-solving.

SciFest@TUS Athlone co-ordinator Dr Noreen Morris said:

“As SciFest celebrates its 20th anniversary, we continue to be inspired by the exceptional standard of projects that enter SciFest@TUS Athlone. The standard of research undertaken by second-level students across the Midlands showcases their strong passion and enthusiasm for science, technology, engineering and maths."

SciFest is an all-inclusive, all-island STEM initiative that promotes active, collaborative and inquiry-based learning among second-level students.

Now in its 20th year, the programme continues to encourage young people to explore STEM through curiosity-led investigation, creativity and problem-solving.

Speaking on this year’s SciFest@TUS Athlone regional STEM fair, SciFest Founder and CEO Sheila Porter said:

“Twenty years ago, the first SciFest fair took place in 2006, and since then we’ve seen tens of thousands of students bring ideas to life — asking questions, testing solutions and presenting projects with confidence and pride. It is inspirational to see the innovation, imagination and impact of this year’s SciFest@TUS Athlone projects. I would encourage every second level student in the Midlands with an idea, interest or even just a question to remain curious and enter SciFest.”

SciFest is funded by the Department of Education and Youth and supported by industry partners including Intel, Boston Scientific, EirGrid and Keenova.

Local sponsors of the regional event included Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk. Enterprise Ireland, NISO, Spectrum Signs, Seerys and TUS.