MoS Costello award to Carlow BT Young Scientists 2012

Minister Joe Costello presents Irish Aid award to Carlow students at BT Young Scientist & Technology

The winners of the Irish Aid/ Self-Help ‘Science for Development’ Award at the BT Young Scientist &Technology Exhibition 2012 are Keane Nolan and DJ Hanley, from St. Mary’s Academy CBS, Carlow, for their project on the role of milk in combating poverty in rural Africa.

Minister of State for Development and Trade Joe Costello, T.D., presented the award this evening at a special ceremony in the RDS. Minister Costello said:

“I am delighted to present the Irish Aid ‘Science for Development’ award to this truly impressive project, which compares the nutritional contents of raw and pasteurised milk and investigated the use of natural preservatives in milk to reduce poverty in rural Africa.”

Over the years, the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition has played an invaluable role in encouraging Ireland's young people to realise their potential as innovators and inventors. The Minister said:

“From my visits around the exhibition hall today I have been particularly inspired by the number of schools harnessing the power of science for use in the developing world. Meeting so many students who are applying their scientific and technical knowledge for the purpose of improving the lives of people in the developing world is enormously encouraging”.

The winning entrant will have an opportunity later this year to travel to a developing country to test their project in field.  This visit will be supported by Irish Aid and NGO Self Help Africa.  Minister Costello added:

“I am also very pleased that the success of the Irish competition is now being shared with Tanzania, a priority country for Irish Aid.  This year marks the first time that Irish Aid, NUI Maynooth and the Pearson Foundation are supporting a new initiative to commence a Young Scientist Tanzania Initiative in Tanzania.  The first YST exhibition is scheduled for October 2012 in the capital, Dar Es Salaam.”

Irish Aid has hosted workshops and an information stand at the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition to inform teachers, students and the public about the impact Ireland’s development programme is making on the ground.

13th January 2012

For further information, please contact Fionnuala Quinlan, press officer, Irish Aid, the Department of Foreign Affairs on 01-4082653 or 087-9099975. For further information on the Government’s overseas aid programme, visit www.irishaid.ie.

Notes to Editors

• The ‘Science for Development’ Award, sponsored by Irish Aid and Self Help Development, is designed to encourage Young Scientists to consider the benefits that scientific innovation can bring to developing countries.
• Self Help Africa is an Irish NGO with operations in five eastern African countries. It encourages communities to help themselves and employs innovative technologies to bring about sustainable progress.
• The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2012 is taking place in the Main Hall, RDS, Dublin 4 from 11th-14th January 2012. For more information on the exhibition please visitwww.btyoungscientist.com.