A recent analysis by the US government showed that while the greatest threat to continued growth there was terrorism, the second most important was an increasing shortage of trained scientists. About 2.7 per cent of its GDP is ploughed into scientific research, making it one of the most knowledge-driven economies in the world, but all this could change if the innovators and discoverers of new knowledge are not available on the ground.
The Republic faces a similar challenge - how to keep young minds engaged in science. One in 10 students now takes science subjects in the Leaving Certificate and fewer still pursue science, mathematics or engineering at third level. Where is this going to leave the Government's ambitions to create a knowledge economy? Investment in research under the National Development Plan 2000-2006 will reach a total of € 2.54 billion.
The funding will run into the sand if we lack the research expertise enabling us to reap the benefits of this taxpayer largesse. That is why the Esat BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition is such a vital national event. No other science-promoting event has the same impact. The 41st annual exhibition ends this evening and, like those that have gone before, it has been a success.
The event has become so popular that it has outgrown space at the Royal Dublin Society main hall. The judging panel must now pick and choose to shortlist 480 projects from the more than 1,000 submitted by enthusiastic youngsters. While there were 1,049 12 to 18-year-olds on hand at the RDS this year explaining their research efforts to the judging panel, the competition actually reached more than 2,500 students when you take into account all those who put together projects in the hope of gaining a place at the event.
The projects include research into new technological devices, physics, maths, chemistry, biology and the social sciences. Last year the Young Scientist Exhibition attracted 37,000 visitors during the three days it was open to the public and the organisers hope for an eventual 38,000 or 39,000 this year.
This tells us that the enthusiasm, the drive, the curiosity about our natural world is there in our young people. The question is how does one go about exploiting this great potential by tempting more students into science at Leaving Certificate and third level. Events like the Young Scientist reveal the gold seam. Enlightened Government policy on research investment, attractive career prospects and financial rewards for success must be in place to mine it.