Kilkenny students to get set for Young Scientist & Technology of Year 2024

Local students will be gearing up for the next BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition, which returns to the RDS from January 10 to 13, 2024, and will celebrate 60 years of the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.

The BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition is the largest celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) for young people on the island of Ireland. It is an all-encompassing celebration of science and technology under one roof.

BT Ireland, the communications services company, and the education charity, Young Scientist and Technology of the Year Limited (YSE ltd), have also announced that they have extended their partnership for a further three years through to the 2026.

The three-year sponsorship extension will see BT Ireland continue as custodian and organiser of the exhibition. BT Ireland has been the title partner of the Young Scientist and Technology exhibition since 2000 and will mark 25 years as custodian and sponsor of the exhibition in 2025.

Applications for the 2024 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition will open in late August 2024 and students from across the island of Ireland are encouraged to submit project proposals and be part of the country’s leading live STEM event. 

“At BT Ireland we’re extremely proud of our history with the exhibition and we are thrilled to be extending our partnership with the Young Scientist and Technology of the Year for another three years. The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition has become part of our organisation’s DNA, with 200 of our colleagues volunteering their time each January to help make the exhibition a success," said Shay Walsh, Managing Director, BT Ireland.

“The exhibition is much more than a competition, it is an unforgettable experience of a lifetime for the students who take part. We continue to see the positive impact the exhibition has on fostering young talent in the areas of science, technology, engineering and maths in Ireland, and we look forward to growing the exhibition further in the years to come with our exhibition partners.”

UCD Professor Pat Guiry, Chair of YSE Ltd, said: “On behalf of the board of the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition we’re delighted to be continuing our partnership with BT Ireland. BT Ireland has helped the exhibition reach new heights since it became the custodian of the exhibition 23 years ago, increasing engagement levels amongst students and the public and strengthening relationships with exhibition partners.

"They have introduced a science festival around the annual exhibition as well as extending the exhibition to primary school students through the Primary School Science Fair and developed a business skills extension programme for exhibition alumni. We look forward to celebrating 60 years of the exhibition in January and our partnership with BT Ireland.”

Under its tenure BT Ireland has helped grow the exhibition over the past 20 years to reach new audiences and further the STEM agenda in Ireland. BT Ireland has introduced a science festival at the exhibition with live acts appearing daily. Since 2001, the Primary Science Fair has been a core component of exhibition week. The Primary Science Fair takes place on the Thursday and Friday of exhibition week at the RDS.

The BT Young Scientist Business Bootcamp has been a very successful initiative, which has been an extension programme of the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition for fourteen years. It was created by BT as a way to encourage participating BTYSTE students to develop key business and innovation skills.