Primary school student Seání Williams looking at the hydrogen powered car as part of a demonstration from the UCD SFI-funded Solar Energy Conversion Research Cluster
UCD Science hosted an interactive stand showcasing some of the latest research at UCD as part of the Irish Universities Promoting Science (IUPS) initiative at this year’s BT Young Scientist exhibition.
Exhibiting researchers included Abey Campbell, from the UCD School of Computer Science and Informatics who gave visitors a chance to explore a virtual supermarket by wearing a head mounted display and to play a simple game of pong using a brain computer interface.
“This technology could be used to help people who are recovering from long illnesses to reacquaint themselves with everyday tasks such as shopping,” explained Campbell, who is creating these mixed reality worlds as part of his PhD.
The potential of the sun’s energy and futuristic cars took centre stage in demonstrations by the UCD School of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and the UCD School of Bioprocess and Chemical Engineering. Dr Sharon Davin from the SFI -funded Solar Energy Conversion Strategic Research Cluster explained to visitors the technology behind harnessing solar energy and hydrogen powered cars. Cluster researcher Dr Grace Morgan presented a workshop on Solar Energy entitled “New Ways to Catch Some Rays”.
To mark 2009 as the International year of Astronomy, UCD School of Physics brought along a telescope, replica astronaut suit and footage of astronauts living on board the International Space Station.
Dr Patrick Orr from the UCD School of Geological Sciences exhibited a sample of Penrith sandstone under a microscope and explained how the work of geologists is becoming increasingly important as the search for new sources of gas and oil and alternative energy supplies continues. “Geologists identify potential reservoirs of natural gas by studying samples of rock taken from deep below the earth’s surface,” said Dr Orr.
Dr Tadhg Ó'Cróinín from the UCD School of Biomolecular and Biomedical Science invited students to take part in an experiment to extract DNA from bananas. PhD student Seán MacFhearraigh demonstrated how to build a model of DNA and Theresa Heffernan showed visitors how to examine Zebrafish under a microscope.
