REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OPENING OF THE ESAT TELECOM YOUNG SCIENTIST AND TECHNOLOGY
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT McALEESE AT THE OPENING OF THE ESAT TELECOM YOUNG SCIENTIST AND TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITION IN THE RDS
Tá lúcháir mhór orm bheith anseo libh inniu chun an taispeántais seo a oscailt go hoifigúil. Tá an triú mílaois bainte amach againn agus forbairtí á ndéanamh go laethúil i ndul chun cinn na heolaíochta. Is iontach sibhse, aos óg na tíre – thuaidh, thiar, theas agus thoir - a bheith le chéile anseo agus suim san eolaíocht mar cheangail eadraibh. Gura fada buan sibh!
When I was here at the Esat Telecom Young Scientist Exhibition last year I was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm, the joy and the passion for science among so many students. In this new century, new millennium, so many things will change and change, we hope, for the better. But one thing I hope will not change is the intellectual curiosity, the hunger for answers to the many riddles and problems our world presents which inspires so many young people to take part in this great adventure in science. So I am especially delighted to be here today to open this year’s exhibition, the first of the new millennium. What better way to start this new century than with such a wonderful celebration of science, youth and a love of discovery?
The Esat Telecom Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, now in its 36th year, is one of the world’s longest running and most successful science exhibitions for second level students. Some of the young scientists are not so young any longer but involvement in this exhibition was for many a deeply significant part of their lives. It is great that many of the past winners of the Young Scientist Exhibition have been invited to attend this year’s event where they will inaugurate a Past Winners Hall of Fame. The sheer speed of progress and change in science and technology in the short time since they were winners is itself more than a bit daunting but each generation's work was a necessary platform for the generation which came next. The causeway to the science of the future is built by that crucial mix of sheer hard work and excitement at the potential of discovery, of contributing to the world’s body of knowledge and to humankind’s capacity to improve that world for all of us.
Winning this competition – while a great achievement in itself – also opens the doorway to international competitions in Europe and beyond. And it is a mark of the exceptional standard of this competition that our Young Scientists have always fared so well in these competitions. We have only to think of last year’s winner of the European Young Scientist of the Year Award, Sarah Flannery, whose project on computer encryption not only stormed to victory but captured the imagination of the international media. Sarah began to develop ideas for her project during Transition Year and I’ve no doubt that many of this year’s participants have made equally valuable use of that vital exam-free year to develop their interests and expand their ideas.
The organisers are certainly not resting on their laurels. The introduction last year of a mobile technology classroom, which toured the country encouraging schools that traditionally did not participate to get involved, was obviously a great success. Welcome to all the new schools who are participating in this year’s exhibition, proving the exhibition is continuing to generate a huge amount of interest from young people throughout the country. I am delighted to hear that the number of entries from Northern Ireland has doubled this year making it a truly all-Ireland event.
It is clear from what we see here today that the investment in youth which this Exhibition so clearly demonstrates is paying dividends. I sense a great spirit of challenge, of hope and of success which augurs well for the future of our country. It is so important that our young people capture that spirit, put it to work in their lives and believe emphatically in their individual and collective capacity to make a real difference in this world of ours.
I congratulate the sponsors of the prizes and in particular ESAT for the overall sponsorship of this major event. I would also like to warmly compliment the teachers for their dedication, the affirmation, the encouragement they gave to their students particularly when the going was getting rough and time was running out. It is teachers who believe in this Exhibition and who believe in the genius of our young people who nurture the 'can do' mentality, the gift of self-empowerment so essential for a fulfilled life.
My thanks to the judges too for giving so willingly of their time. Their professional integrity and objectivity has given this event tremendous prestige. In particular I would like to compliment Dr. Tony Scott of UCD, Chairman of the judging panel, for his vision in devising the first Young Scientist Exhibition way back in 1965.
I wish the competitors the best of luck in this year’s exhibition and indeed in your future careers. I hope that many of the young men and especially the young women, will go on to study science and technology at third level and make it their career. I wish you every success.
It gives me great pleasure to declare this exhibition open. Go n-éirí go geal libh go léir.