The Young Scientist Exhibition encourages young people to develop their scientific and technological skills, which can in turn lead to a rewarding career, writes Claire Shoesmith

Are you one of those people who always questions the ins and outs of every situation? Do you always want to know where something came from or how it came to be where it is now? If so, then this may be the opportunity you have been waiting for - and you have just seven days in which to realise your potential.

Next Friday is the deadline for entries for Ireland's Young Scientist Exhibition. The competition, which is due to take place at Dublin's RDS in January, has been running for 40 years.

As well as focusing on finding the best student scientific or technological invention, is also aimed at encouraging young people to get involved with science and technology.

While this year's winner, 17-year-old Patrick Collinson, is still a student at Castletroy College in Limerick, the winner of the first ever exhibition, John Monahan, is now president of his own biotech company, Avigen, based in California.

"The importance of science and technology in business must not be underestimated," says Mike Maloney, chief operating officer of telecommunications group BT, which sponsors the event. "It is critical."

The days of scientists being confined to their laboratories, wearing white coats and holding test tubes in their hands are long gone and many top positions in large companies are held by those with science and technology qualifications.

Mr Maloney says he hopes that by sponsoring the event, BT is helping to promote science and technology, which plays a crucial role in many businesses, including that of BT itself.

"The skills that someone studying science learns are very transferable and the job opportunities are vast," says Peter Brabazon, director of Science.ie, a national programme aimed at promoting science literacy. "On a global level, business needs qualified people if it is to succeed."

The relevance of science and technology in our everyday lives must also not be underestimated.

Take for example the workings of a computer. While we may not all be interested in finding how it works, when our machine breaks down in the middle of working on an important project, we are the first to hope that there is someone out there that does know how it works and who can fix the problem.

Moreover, society as a whole is moving away from traditional industry to more technological and scientific sectors, such as medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies.

Nowadays, these industries are worth far more to the economy than traditional sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing.

"The biotech and pharmaceutical sectors are the most valuable to the Irish economy today and the link between them and academia is essential," says Fíona Refan, a lecturer at DCU and member of the Irish Research Scientists' Association.

"Businesses are constantly coming to us in academia and asking us to help with short-term projects or problem solving and this is a healthy relationship that we wish to maintain."

However, it is not just large companies that can benefit from skilled scientists and technology experts.

Many small companies are set up simply to carry out research or to develop a product. Take for example CTL Tastail Teo and Seahorse Ireland, both featured in the Údarás na Gaeltachta section of your Business 2000 case study pack.

CTL is involved in testing materials and structures for components of the new Airbus A-380, while Seahorse Ireland was set up by two marine biologists to cultivate seahorses on a commercial basis.

So you see, by satisfying your hunger for answers, you can also make a living. What more can you ask for? The clock is ticking...