Isabel Mitchell and Sahasra Vivek Kumar from Malahide Community School with scientist Barry Fitzgerald at BTYSTE 2023 launch. Image: Chris Bellew/ Fennell Photography
Members of the public can view the young scientists’ work at a series of exhibitions from 12 to 14 January as part of BTYSTE 2023.
One of Ireland’s best-loved annual sci-tech events is about to get underway as BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) returns for its first in-person event in three years.
BTYSTE 2023 launched today (10 January) at Dublin’s RDS. The venue will see thousands of young scientists and techies pass through its doors tomorrow to showcase their STEM projects.
The exhibition will then open to the public on 12 January and run until 14 January.
“For anyone looking for inspiration and a tonic in January, I’d encourage them to visit and be uplifted by these young people and their talent,” said BT Ireland’s managing director, Shay Walsh. BT Ireland has been a custodian of the event for 23 years.
For almost 60 years BTYSTE has been highlighting Ireland’s young STEM talent. Previous winners of the overall competition include Patrick Collison of Stripe, and Shane Curran, who went on to found cybersecurity company Evervault.
The 2021 winner, Greg Tarr, went on to set up his own company called Inferex. Last year’s winners, Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar, won for their project, which saw them come up with a new way to tackle the Bernoulli quadrisection problem. The 15-year-olds from Dublin tackled the complex mathematical conundrum that has stumped older mathematicians for years.
The competition has taken place virtually for the previous two years. President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins will open the first in-person competition in three years at a ceremony at the RDS tomorrow.
The ceremony will be live-streamed on the BTYSTE website and on Facebook Live from 2pm.
Speaking ahead of the exhibition launch, President Higgins offered his best wishes and good luck to all the students participating in this year’s competition. He also paid tribute to the teachers and parents who provided encouragement to participants.
“What a great time it is to be a young scientist – challenging, yes, but so potentially fulfilling to know that the choices you make will have effects that are important, not just for your own time but for the very possibility of life in its diverse forms, on our vulnerable planet,” he said.
The winner of BTYSTE will be announced at an awards ceremony on 13 January at 5.30pm. The overall prize winner will receive the BTYSTE perpetual trophy and a cheque for €7,500. The winner will go forward to represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists in Brussels in September.
More information on BTYSTE 2023 is available on its website.
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