Seven lucky students have been awarded third-level summer placements with NUI Galway, UL and UCD as part of the BT Business of Science & Technology Programme 2010.
The individual winner of the programme is Katie O’Neill from Dominican College, Wicklow.
Hannah Hayes, Zubair Masod, Julianne O’Connell, Seán Ó’Rua, Andrej Pacher and Ben Rodgers of the DNA Tracer group won the overall group award.
The third-level summer placements are organised and funded by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and comprise of a one-week placement divided between the National University of Ireland, Galway, and the University of Limerick and a week-long placement with University College Dublin. The placements are scheduled for June 2010.
About the BT Business of Science & Technology Programme 2010
The students will be accommodated on campus and given the opportunity to work with some of Ireland’s leading scientists and researchers. While the programmes will be tailored to meet their individual interests, they will also be exposed to all branches of science. In addition, the universities have extensive social programmes for the winners.
“The BT Business of Science & Technology programme will inspire students’ creativity in business and reinforce the link between education and entrepreneurship,” said Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe TD.
“The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition promotes scientific and technological endeavour among our young people. So it is fitting that, in an age of greater Government-backed collaboration between higher-education institutions, BT, the Higher Education Authority and the universities provide experience and practical avenues for our young leaders in science and technology to develop their ideas.”
Companies involved in the BT Business of Science & Technology Programme 2010
The year 2010 was the inaugural year of this pioneering business-mentoring programme by BT, which culminated in 53 students presenting real-world case studies to a panel of judges from organisations including BT, Microsoft, Enterprise Ireland and Engineers Ireland.
Over the course of the programme the participating students have been trained by technology industry executive Wendy Kennedy, and mentored by leading Irish business executives from organisations such as Bank of Ireland, Bombardier Aerospace, Bord Gáis Energy, IBM and Intel.
“We are proud to have worked with such inspirational and progressive leaders in designing and executing the BT Business of Science & Technology programme,” said Chris Clark, CEO, BT Ireland.
“Through close collaboration with the mentors and our partners we have produced a programme which, I am confident, has ignited entrepreneurial thinking in our younger generation,” Clark added.
The BT Business of Science & Technology is an additional dimension to the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition. Fifty-three students from 13 counties were invited to take part in the programme as they were the winners of the intermediate and senior categories, the overall Top 4 performers and the winners of merit.
By John Kennedy
Photo: Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe TD is pictured with Chris Clark, CEO BT and BT Business of Science & Technology winner Katie O’Neill
