Budding Laois scientists shine at Heywood SciFest

BUDDING scientists were in the spotlight at Heywood Community School, when students showcased remarkable research and creativity at the annual SciFest.

The science fair featured an impressive range of student-led projects across biology, chemistry, physics, and technology, all demonstrating exceptional innovation, critical thinking and scientific rigour.

A national initiative promoting STEM education in schools, SciFest once again provided an inspiring platform for students to investigate real-world problems and share their findings. This year’s projects were of an exceptionally high standard, according to both staff and judges.

Special guest Alan Dunne from SciFest, who served as one of the judges at the May fair, praised students for their depth of research and innovation across various disciplines.

He said: “It’s truly inspiring to see such enthusiasm and quality of work from students at this level. They’ve set a high bar for future competitions.”

Projects explored a wide range of thought-provoking topics, including ‘Does farming influence mental health?’, ‘Does playing sport affect academics?’ and ‘Metal conductivity and the effects of temperature changes’.

Rachel Dunne and Zara Brennan won the overall prize for their project ‘How clean is pre-packaged fruit?’, which examined the microbial content of ready-to-eat, pre-washed fruit.

The runner-up award went to Daniel Case and Matthew Farrell for their intriguing investigation titled ‘Are people's memories better when sitting down or standing up?’ Other award winners were:

Best Communicator: Ofry Dunne – ‘What is the most effective way to filter water?’ EirGrid Award: Oscar Fingleton – ‘Deepseek vs ChatGPT on the Leaving Cert’.

STEM Award: Daniel Bergin and Cara Mezzapelle – ‘How does the material of chopping boards affect the release of microplastics during food preparation?’ SciFest Project Award: Niamh Dundon and Ava Rowan – ‘Investigating the effectiveness of own-brand vs expensive-brand laundry pods at removing stains’.

Heywood Project Award: Caoimhe Kelly, Gráinne Scully and Bronagh Fitzgerald – ‘Do baby girls or boys tend to sleep better?’ As well as highlighting scientific knowledge, the fair fostered teamwork and communication, as students presented and explained their hypotheses, methods and conclusions to judges, teachers and guests.

Congratulating everyone involved, school principal Eamon Jackman said: “Events like this nurture a lifelong interest in science and discovery. We’re proud of every student who took part and grateful to Mr Dunne and the SciFest team for their expertise and encouragement.” 

Launched nationwide in 2011, SciFest is a series of one-day science fairs funded primarily by Intel Ireland, Boston Scientific and EirGrid and supported by other companies and organisations, including the Department of Education.