Judging is underway at the RDS today (Thursday, January 9) at this year’s BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhbition (BTYSTE), with many agricultural projects being showcased.
Over 2,500 primary and secondary school students are representing their schools this week, with 550 projects from 225 schools on display.
On attending the launch, Tánaiste Micheál Martin announced that his department is funding the winners of this year’s exhibition for the first time ever to travel to Japan to present their project at Expo 2025.
With a big prize up for grabs this year’s BTYSTE, Agriland chatted to some of the students who focused on agriculture-related projects, take a look at the video below.
One of the projects has examined the feasibility of mixing different types of sheep wool with concrete as a more sustainable strengthening agent instead of polypropylene.
The students, Aoife Fadian and Jessica O’Connor, working on the project from Ursuline College Sligo came up with the idea after seeing how much sheep wool goes to waste each year.
The students made four different products to perform indicative tests. They used samples on concrete containing polypropylene, which is generally used to prevent cracks in the product.
They also used concrete containing sheep wool, another product containing a mix of both, and concrete by itself. Following analysis of a scoring table after the tests, the students found that sheep wool performed higher overall.
Students in Árdscoil Uí Urmoltaigh, Co. Cork, Loughlin O’Donnell and Seán O’Riordan, have created an app called ‘Verdura’ which can be used by farmers or anyone to recommend what fertiliser is needed on specific land to support sustainable practices.
The app uses real-time soil sensor data and weather conditions to provide personalised organic fertiliser recommendations, in order to optimise crop-efficiency and reduce waste.
Another project showcased at the BTYSTE is by students of St Mary’s Secondary School in Macroom Co. Clare looks at remedies to prevent mastitis in dairy cows.
After helping out on the farm, students Mollie Collins, Laura Maheney and Ava Daly wanted to come up with a “sustainable and organic” way to prevent the disease.
The project examines garlic, turmeric and aloe vera’s effectiveness in naturally preventing mastitis, aiming to reduce antibiotic reliance and improve health and dairy on farms.
Students Amy McCullagh and Ella White returned to the RDS for their second year in a row, after their study on rewilding and reforestation of farmland last year.
This year, the two students at St Mary’s Secondary School, Co. Cork are displaying an investigation into deer overpopulation.
The project titled ‘Oh Deer’ looks at how Ireland’s overpopulation of deer has resulted in “severe” biodiversity loss and become a road safety issue.
The students have distributed a survey for how best to solve the issue, where an incentive programme featured as the most popular option, and the reintroduction of the predator as the least popular.
They have come to conclusion that a public awareness campaign needs to be designed, due to a lack of knowledge on the overpopulation.