Three students from Pobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair have taken home the prestigious EirGrid Cleaner Climate Award following their win at the SciFest@College 2024 regional competition at ATU Donegal.
Students from schools across Donegal 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 health and physics to renewable energy.
Fourth year students, Kerry Magner, Muireann Haicéid and Áine Ní Fhearraigh impressed judges with their project focused on demonstrating how much electricity can a simple waterwheel generate, and if it would be enough to power lights. Their winning submission was selected from over 80 projects on show at the college campus event.
Kerry, Muireann and Áine 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.
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, said, “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 Kerry, Muireann and Áine.
“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.”
