This is the fifth year of Esat's role as organiser and key sponsor of the annual young scientist exhibition. The event is one of the longest running and largest of its type in Europe and the 2001 exhibit is the 38th to take place.
It offers students with an interest in science or the humanities an opportunity to put together a research project and show what they can do in an open competition with their peers. They vie for financial and travel prizes and an opportunity to participate in the European Young Scientist Exhibition in the autumn.
There is a pre-selection process so only those projects that have involved a significant research effort are included in the exhibition. The projects that go through are then judged by a panel of experts from the sciences and the humanities who generously volunteer their time year after year. Some have been there from the very beginning and a number of judges can boast of more than 30 years' involvement.
Each year the organisers try to come up with novel and interesting displays to help occupy students between visits by the judging panel.
A main feature this year is the World of Science and Technology display in association with BTexact Technologies. Intel is providing a new exhibit that shows how microchips are made, and there are other displays by Analog Devices, Steps, W5 Science Centre from Belfast, the Garda Síochána, Institute of Physics and more.