Three Westmeath students took the top prize at SciFest@TUS, one of Ireland’s largest regional science fairs for second-level students, for their innovative project on buffer strips and biodiversity.

Dara Shortall, Dean Burns and Eoin Murphy, transition-year students at Moate Community School, won the coveted Best Project Overall award for their innovative research into the use of buffer strips to increase biodiversity and water quality in grassland.

The trio, who also won the Regeneron Life Sciences Award, and placed first in the Intermediate Life Sciences Group Category award, will now go on to compete against other regional SciFest winners at the national finals in November 2022.

Accepting the award on behalf of the trio, Dara acknowledged the support of his school and teacher, Mairead Cusack, and said he was “thrilled” with the result.

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

"If these nutrients are let run-off into waterways, it can lead to eutrophication, which can lead to fish death,” he said.

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.

If successful at the national finals in November 2022, the Moate Community School students will win an all-expenses paid trip to Dallas, in the US, to represent Ireland on the international stage at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 2023.

The students were among 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.

In total, there were more than 94 projects on display, with competing students presenting on a wide array of scientific topics, including neuroplasticity, climate change, sustainable packaging, the impact of diet on speed and endurance, how caffeine affects cycling performance – and the impact of music on cows’ temperaments.