A Tralee student has won the 2008 BT Young Scientist of the Year award with a project that could help save lives after natural disasters. Emer Jones (13) also goes into the record books as the youngest winner yet of the Young Scientist accolade, writes Dick Ahlstrom, Science Editor
Emer claimed her prize last night at a boisterous awards presentation ceremony at the RDS in Ballsbridge, Dublin. The other top awards went to projects related to teacher job satisfaction, how slugs track down their supper and a study of how thin plastic films tear. "I am absolutely amazed, I am just flabbergasted to be honest," a shocked Emer said minutes after receiving her award. "I didn't expect it at all," she added as she was joined on stage by her father John, mother Máire and brother Robert.
Minister for Education and Science Mary Hanafin was on hand to present the awards, along with main sponsor BT Ireland's chief executive officer, Chris Clark. The Minister praised the students, adding, "We are very proud of you."
Emer is a second year student at Presentation Secondary School, Tralee, Co Kerry and her project was entitled "Research and Development of Emergency Sandbag Shelters".
Dome-shaped sandbag shelters provided temporary homes after the Asian tsunami in 2004 and later after the Pakistan earthquake. The shelters are surrounded by sandbags joined together using heavy and expensive barbed wire but Emer came up with a better approach, jamming crossed pieces of bamboo or wood into the bags to give them extra stability at a much lower cost. She built a test rig and simulated earthquakes to determine the strength of her design.
Emer admits to being science mad and hopes to study physics, chemistry or maths in the future. "You couldn't keep me away from science," she said.
The judging panel was very impressed given the practical aspects of the project from someone so young, according to chairwoman Emer Kennedy. The winner receives a crystal trophy and a cheque for €5,000 and will represent Ireland at the EU's science fair this September in Copenhagen.
Best group prize went to cousins Edel and Fiona Ryan, Transition Year students from Holy Rosary College, Mountbellew, Co Galway. They conducted a comprehensive survey of 750 teachers, assessing job satisfaction. They received a trophy and €2,400.
The runner-up individual prize went to Henry Glass, a transition year student attending Clongowes Wood College, Slane, Co Kildare for his detailed study of how the common slug detects and locates its food. He received a trophy and a cheque for €1,200.