Dara Shortall, Moate Community School

Westmeath students win top prize at SciFest@TUS

Moate Community School team advance to national finals in November
Life
Dara Shortall, Moate Community School

12 April 2022

Three Westmeath students have taken home the top prize at SciFest@TUS, one of Ireland’s largest regional science fairs for second-level students, held recently in Athlone.

Dara Shortall, Dean Burns and Eoin Murphy, TY students at Moate Community School, won best project overall award for their research into the use of buffer strips to increase biodiversity and water quality in grassland.

A total of 200 students from 12 secondary schools across the Midlands to compete in this year’s competition, showcasing their passion for and knowledge of science, engineering, technology, and maths.

More than 94 projects were on display, covering an array of scientific topics, including neuroplasticity, climate change, sustainable packaging.

The trio, who also won the Regeneron life sciences award and placed first in the intermediate life sciences group category, will compete against other regional SciFest winners at the national finals in November 2022.

If successful there, the team wil respresent Ireland at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2023 in Dallas.

“Our project aims to solve this problem by planting a two-meter buffer strip along the edge of waterways on grassland with plants that will absorb nutrients more efficiently from fertilizer before they can reach the waterways…If these nutrients are let run-off into waterways, it can lead to eutrophication, which can lead to fish death,” said team member Dara Shortall.

The TY student, who lives on a dairy farm, explained how the team’s research could improve the quality of Irish waterways by tackling fertiliser run-off, which can decrease water oxygen levels and lead to dead zones.

To create the buffer strips – a protective zone between a farm and a waterway intended to protect water quality – the trio researched different species of plants, trialing out mustard, radish, phacelia, and grass, before ultimately settling on a mixture of phacelia and black oak seed.

Dr Noreen Morris, co-ordinator of SciFest@TUS in Athlone, said: “As always, the projects entered by the students were impressive, engaging, and thought-provoking. Students from across the region demonstrated their passion for STEM, which was clearly evident from the high standard of research that went into this year’s entries. SciFest is a competition that aims to encourage students to develop an interest in STEM, while prioritising inclusivity and inquiry-based learning, and it is a competition we are very proud to support”.

Sheila Porter, SciFest CEO and founder, added, “We received a tremendous number of entries again this year and the standard was as high as we’ve come to expect from SciFest participants. At SciFest, our goal is to encourage a love for STEM subjects from an early age, so it is really heartening to receive so many high-quality entries.”

In total, Moate Community School students were awarded eight major awards, including ‘Best Project Overall’.

Last year’s SciFest@TUS (Athlone) overall winner Clare Reidy from Our Lady’s Bower, went on to be named the national SciFest STEM Champion 2021 for her investigation into effective building materials for future exploration of Mars.

TechCentral Reporters

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