Irish students awarded first prize in physics at EU young scientist competition

The winners of the 2012 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, Mark Kelly and Eric Doyle, have been awarded first prize in physics at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Representing Ireland (North and South) Eric and Mark beat off intense competition from students from 37 countries, ranging in ages from 14-20, to win the top physics award worth €7,000 as well as an honorary award of an all expenses paid trip to the London International Youth Science Forum.

Mark is currently a first year undergraduate physical and mathematical sciences student at University College Dublin while Eric is studying physics at Trinity College Dublin.

 
Eric Doyle and Mark Kelly, EUCYS 2012 Winners

They won the coveted 2012 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition prize for their project entitled, ‘Simulation accuracy in the gravitational many-body problem’ when they were secondary school students in Dublin’s Synge Street CBS. Their project developed a new mathematical approach for a range of applications from satellite placement to predicting network congestion in telecommunications.

 
Eric Doyle and Mark Kelly, BTYSTE 2012 Winners

Each year the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition winner receives the honour of representing Ireland in the annual EU competition. Colm O’Neill, CEO, BT said, “This is excellent on so many fronts - for Eric and Mark’s future career prospects, for their school, for the stature of the BT Young Scientist exhibition and not least of all for Ireland. It has been a summer of medal-winning in sport for Ireland, and it is great for the country to add one for its prowess in those critical subjects of science, technology, engineering and maths. Eric and Mark have done us proud.”

In 24 years of competing at the EU competition, Ireland has now taken home the top honours 14 times, out-performing all other countries.

The 2013 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition will take place in the RDS, Dublin from 9-12 January. Students are being urged to get their entries in by the 1 October 2012 deadline.

BT and UCD, through the Office of the Vice-President for Innovation, has devised and delivered an annual BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp which is held at NovaUCD. This week long business mentoring and skills programme is for participants on the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition who have demonstrated an understanding of commercially viable opportunities, business acumen and innovative flair.

ENDS

26 September 2012

For further information contact Micéal Whelan, University College Dublin, Communications Manager (Innovation), t: + 353 1 716 3712, e: miceal.whelan@ucd.ie

Editors Notes

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