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UCD graduate Orlaith Burke wins AccesScience ’09

UCD research graduate Órlaith Burke (pictured right) has received first prize in the AccesScience ’09 competition for her work to accurately measure indoor radon concentrations in Irish homes, schools and offices.

Talking science without the jargon is the challenge in this competition, organised by UCD Conway Institute of Biomolecular & Biomedical Research. Órlaith clearly impressed the celebrity judging panel with her explanation of her research into seasonally adjusted measurements of the radioactive gas that occurs naturally in the atmosphere around us.

Although it is harmless in the open air, radon can seep up through the soil into building foundations causing dangerous levels to become trapped indoors resulting in diseases such as lung cancer. It is critical that scientists can accurately assess the risk posed by radon. Radon emissions vary widely with the seasons making accurate assessment difficult.

Órlaith Burke from the UCD School of Mathematical Science is trying to find statistical ways to take seasonal variations into account and find true measures of this radioactive gas. These factors allow her to establish if your house is as safe as you might think.

Over 250 secondary school pupils heard about novel research being carried out by the seven finalists; from fighting bugs with SuperGlue® to computers that can build our vocal fingerprint. UCD Conway graduate Sabrina Devereux from the UCD School of Chemistry & Chemical Biology & CSCB won the audience vote and 2nd place for her work on finding ways to deal with the 91,000 tonnes of solid waste generated from prepared potatoes in Ireland every year; enough to fill 1200 Boeing 737 airplanes. 3rd place went to Isabela Aparicio from UCD Conway Institute & UCD School of Biomolecular & Biomedical Science for her research to destroy the defences of the malarial parasite by making it sensitive to free radicals.

UCD Conway's AccesScience '09 (L-R): Finalists Anthony Brew, Aindrias Ryan, Orlaith Burke, David Walmsley pictured with Dr Jimmy Devins TD, UCD President Hugh Brady, and finalists Sabrina Devereux, Isabela Aparicio, Lee-Anne Rawlinson & Prof Pat Guiry, Chair, AccesScience committee.
 
Minister of State for Science, Technology & Innovation Dr Jimmy Devins officiated at the awards ceremony. Commenting on the merit of the AccesScience competition that encourages scientists to communicate with the general public on their work and its potential societal benefits, Minister Devins said, “Scientific advance depends, not only on exacting experimental work but also on the ability of the scientist to communicate those findings in a meaningful way to an ever-widening audience. Each speaker has risen to the challenge of presenting his or her research so that we can all plainly see the relevance of their work to our everyday existence. Learning how to do this should be an integral part of their education.”

While AccesScience encourages graduate students to develop their communication skills, the event also promotes engagement with science by secondary and primary level pupils. Commenting on this aspect of the event, Minister Devins said, “encouraging more students to choose science subjects at second and third level, is a vitally important part of our national strategy to support competitiveness and employment”.

Minister Devins made presentations to the primary and secondary school winners of the AccesScience ’09 poster competition on the theme of Science; what’s on the horizon? Jamie Dixon, 5th class in Gorey Educate Together took first place in the primary school category; Sarah Dunne, a pupil at the Loreto Abbey in Dalkey won the secondary school category. Their posters will be displayed on DART trains and stations as part of the Science Track series, a joint initiative between Iarnroid Eireann and UCD Conway Institute.

AccesScience poster competition winners: (Back row L-R) Jasmine Talukder,Dominican College, Sion Hill (3rd); Gabriela Duffy-Morales (2nd) & Sarah Dunne (1st), Loreto Dalkey; Dr Jimmy Devins, Minister of State for Science, Technology & Innovation; UCD President Hugh Brady; Niamh Devitt, Molly Giblin & Jenny O'Neill; Manor House School, Raheny (Highly commended). (Front row L-R) Zara Martin (Highly commended), Sophie Ryle (3rd), Aine Dunne (2nd) & Jamie Dixon (1st); Gorey Educate Together (not pictured: Calvin Watson (Highly commended), St. Peter Apostle N.S., Clondalkin

The event took place in O’Reilly Hall, UCD with Mr Pat Kenny, RTE hosting the afternoon’s proceedings and the task of judging falling to (pictured L-R) Dublin’s 98 broadcaster, Siobhan O’Connor; singer/songwriter Cathy Davey; travel writer and broadcaster Fionn Davenport and comedian Paddy Courtney; .

MacLachan & Donaldson, Merck Sharpe & Dohme, the Environmental Protection Agency and The Irish Times sponsored the event.