The annual Young Scientist Exhibition has become a national institution since its inception 40 years ago, writes Dick Ahlstrom, Science Editor.
It is the single most important public understanding of science event held in the country and does much to foster an interest among students in careers in the sciences.
The exhibition was the idea of two UCD physics graduates, Carmelite priest Dr Tom Burke and Dr Tony Scott. Shared research activities brought them to the US in the early 1960s, where they saw at first hand student involvement in what are known there as "science fairs".
The two agreed Ireland could benefit from this type of student activity in the sciences. "I wanted to see Irish young scientists bringing science outside the four walls of the classroom and showing that science was all around us," explained Fr Burke.
A funder was sought and found in the semi-state sector, Aer Lingus - a technology-dependent company that could benefit from anything that might boost student interest in engineering and the sciences.
The first exhibition in 1965 took place in the Round Room of the Mansion House in Dublin and involved 230 student competitors. The early events were pure science and maths with projects matching school course work in physics, geography, chemistry, biochemistry and mathematics.
The first Young Scientist was John Monaghan, who made good use of his experiences. He is now chief executive officer of Avigen, a US-based biotechnology company.
The exhibition's immediate success forced a move to a larger venue. Dr Scott's involvement in the RDS's science committee immediately prompted a focus on the large Ballsbridge event centre, which has become the exhibition's permanent home since the 1966 event.
The exhibition has rung the changes over the years, increasing the number of project categories and growing to a record involvement this year of 1,040 students.
Aer Lingus bowed out as main sponsor in 1998, opening the way for Esat's involvement ever since, with the event now known as the Esat BT Young Science and Technology Exhibition. While Esat BT is the primary sponsor, many other companies and bodies also back the event.
Esat BT brought in and developed the new technology element to the exhibition. This has encouraged a new breed of student inventors, who bring robots and other advanced computer-controlled devices to the show.
Fr Burke no longer judges the event but Dr Scott has remained a member of the judging panel through the years.
The judges provide an important unpaid service to Irish science, seeking a winner for the exhibition but also encouraging Ireland's next generation of science specialists.