Largest young scientist exhibition with 450 projects to be opened by President

The President, Mrs McAleese, will this afternoon officially open the Esat Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition at the RDS in Dublin, the 36th young scientist event and the largest yet. There are 450 student science projects on display involving work by almost 1,000 pupils from the Republic and Northern Ireland.

The opening will be attended by the Minister of State for Science, Technology and Commerce, Mr Noel Treacy, who said yesterday he was "delighted" by the increase in participants.

Three days of judging begins this afternoon, and the President will greet the academics and others who volunteer each year to select the top projects. Judging continues tomorrow and Friday, with the top prizes to be announced late on Friday afternoon.

Participants range in age from 12 to 18, and projects are grouped into three categories. These are the biological and ecological sciences; chemistry, physical and mathematical; and social and behavioural sciences.

The students will be competing for trophies and also for cash and travel prizes. The overall group or individual winner will receive £1,000 and an opportunity to participate in the European science fair in the autumn. There are three runner-up prizes of £300 each.

"These projects are a testament to the imagination, innovativeness and scientific aptitude of our young people and augers very well for the future of the science base in Ireland," Mr Treacy said. "I welcome in particular the number of female entrants, which is almost double that of males."

There is a range of activities to entertain and educate participants and visitors. About 6,000 schoolchildren visited last year's event and more are expected this year, according to Esat.

There will be a student-run radio station and newspaper operating throughout the week. There is a cyber cafe on the site and "scienceworks" exhibition to help explain science concepts.

The Institute of Physics in Ireland has laid on a substantial range of displays and talks open to those attending the exhibition. There will be a Van der Graaf generator producing up to 50,000 volts, and visitors will be asked to touch the generator to make their hair stand on end.

There are IoP displays using bikes and trains to explain energy conversion and a "force platform" that can be walked and jumped on by energetic volunteers. There will also be an optical illusion in which students will be offered free money - provided they can pick it up.

The Esat Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition in the Main Hall at the RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin, will be open to the public and school tours from Thursday through Saturday. Admission costs £5 for adults and £2.50 for children.