Students and Teachers to Descend upon The RDS Dublin from Tomorrow as Historic 60th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) Begins
- President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins will officially open the 2024 BTYSTE at a special ceremony tomorrow, Wednesday January 10
- The 2024 BTYSTE is open to the public from Thursday, January 11 until Saturday, January 13, and limited tickets to visit are still available at https://ticketing.btyoungscientist.com
- A full selection of pictures from today that include special act performer this year, Juanita the Clown, and the first ever winner of the BTYSTE, John Monahan, will be shared with the photo desk and are also available on the exhibition’s portal
Thousands of students and Ireland’s future science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) leaders will travel to the RDS Dublin this week to participate in the 2024 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) and Primary Science Fair. One of the leading school STEM exhibitions in Europe and longest running events of its kind in the world, the BTYSTE annually showcases exceptional STEM research and innovation in project entries from students aged 12-19 years.
President Michael D. Higgins will officially open the 2024 exhibition tomorrow at a special ceremony for students, teachers, and partners. The ceremony will be streamed live on the BTYSTE website and on Facebook Live from 2pm.
Not only can attendees expect to enjoy an unmissable celebration of science at the BTYSTE this year, but also bear witness to history, as the 2024 exhibition marks the 60th anniversary since the event began. BT Ireland estimates that in the last 60 years some 150,000 young people have taken part putting forward over 100,000 project ideas, and over the past 35 years, 17 of the overall exhibition winners have won first place at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS).
Speaking ahead of the exhibition, President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins said:
“I would like to offer my best wishes and congratulations to all of the students participating in this year’s BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.
As we reflect on this year’s exhibits, and on their connection with the issues and challenges we face together on our shared vulnerable planet, may I suggest that there has never been a better time in which to be a young scientist. Yes it is a challenging time, but it is so potentially fulfilling to know that the choices you make will have effects that are important, not just for your own time, but for the very possibility of life itself.
It is my hope that the experience of the Young Scientist will further drive the interest and determination of all those participating to continue to play a role in science, its application, and to deliver their energy to where it is most necessary for the benefit of all of society.”
Shay Walsh, Managing Director, BT Ireland, the exhibition organiser, said: “We are delighted to welcome students, teachers, partners, and the public to the RDS this week, on a momentous year for the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.
Since its foundation by Dr Tony Scott and the late Fr Tom Burke, the exhibition has excelled as a platform for inspiring young people to use STEM to understand and improve the world. It has served as a launchpad for many incredible careers, including that of John Monahan, our first ever winner, who joins us as a judge this week.
I wish all the students taking part this year the best of luck, and hope they make memories and friends that last a lifetime.”
From tomorrow, 550 projects from 219 schools will be on display, spanning the four exhibition categories of Technology, Biological, and Ecological Sciences, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Chemical, Physical and Mathematical Sciences and a new fifth category introduced this year for the 60th BTYSTE, Health and Wellbeing. A judging panel of 85 experts from the world of STEM and business will have the challenging task of choosing over 200 prize winners, including the overall BT Young Scientist and Technologist (s) of the Year, awarded €7,500. The overall winner(s) will be announced at an awards ceremony on Friday, January 12 at 5:30pm and will once again represent Ireland at the EUCYS which will take place this year in the European City of Science 2024 – Katowice, Poland.
The 2024 Primary Science Fair, integral to the BTYSTE for sixteen years, will also take place alongside the exhibition on January 11 and 12 giving 55 primary schools the opportunity to display their research and innovation to judges and visitors. The BTYSTE opens to the public from Thursday, January 11 to Saturday January 13, with a full programme of fantastic events and something for everyone to enjoy, as well as all the student projects on display throughout. Additionally, 50 brilliant stands from the exhibition’s partners, including the Department of Education, Analog Devices, Amgen, Stripe and RTÉ will be on display throughout the RDS.
Tickets to the BTYSTE can be purchased at https://ticketing.btyoungscientist.com/ or at the venue. Visitors can plan their visit to the RDS in advance by downloading the free BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition app, available on Android and Apple devices. Full of helpful information, the app includes an exhibition map, a search tool for student projects and exhibitors, a schedule of events, as well as links to the BTYSTE social networks for live updates throughout the event.
For more information on the exhibition, please visit the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition website or follow @BTYSTE on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), YouTube or Snapchat.