Double joy for Rachael at Young Scientist Exhibition

Colaiste Dún an Rí student took third prize for an individual in the intermediate category.

A Cavan student has taken two prizes at this year's BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) in the Royal Dublin Stadium.

Rachael Burns from Colaiste Dún an Rí in Kingscourt took third prize for an individual in the intermediate category.

Her project 'An investigation into alternative feedstock for the production of biodiesel fuel contributing to a cleaner environment' also won this year's Eli Lilly Special Award.

Rachael's project was entered in the Chemical, Physical & Mathematical Sciences category.

“It was a surprise, I didn’t expect it,” says a delighted Rachael from Magheracloone.

“I really didn’t expect to win anything so, when I got called up twice, I was really shocked.

“I got third place overall in the chemistry category and then I got an Eli Lilly Award, which was a special award from a company and it was to do with biochemistry and biotechnology,” says the Transition Year student.

The ongoing cost of living crisis and the increase in the price of diesel sparked the idea for Rachael's project.

“We are in a cost of living crisis in the country and so I was just looking to see if things could be made cheaper,” she explains.

So Rachael began creating her award-winning project. With the school's consent, she spent every Tuesday in College Proteins in Nobber where she learned more about the topic.

“I was lucky enough that my school and my teachers were able to accommodate me because I would go up to the labs in College Proteins - I would skip school every Tuesday - and go work in the lab to be able to do this project,” she reveals of her research.

“It was brilliant working in the lab. It gave me an idea of what I wanted to do in the future, chemistry or medicine, something along those lines,” continues Rachael.

While many projects at the exhibition were completed in teams, Rachael complete her project on her own.

"I was working by myself. It was a bit more work but I feel like I got it done a bit more quickly than the groups,” she feels.

“Because I did it by myself, it gave me the motivation to have the project to get it done and obviously I learned a lot while doing the project as well," adds Rachael.

She was guided along the whole process by her science teacher, Robbie Lorenz, who is proud of her achievement.

“She did this by herself. The chemistry behind actually synthesizing biodiesel from waste oil is quite difficult,” says Mr Lorenz.

“I think she initially had a group of friends that were willing to work with her, but I think they got a bit spooked by the chemistry of it and bowed out fairly early and Rachel continued on by herself," he adds.

Rachel understood completing the project would be a challenge, and she rose to it.

“The chemistry that’s involved in it would certainly be at Leaving Cert chemistry level, if not above it going toward graduate level. In the first couple of weeks in September, she had to do a crash course in Leaving Cert chemistry,” continues the science teacher.

“A lot of people would have got overwhelmed by it whereas Rachael just took it in her stride. She’s a very very hard working student. 50% isn’t an option for Rachael, she strived for perfection.”

Grateful for the help and support of her teacher, Rachael says: “Mr Lorenz was a great help, I wouldn’t have been able to do it without him."

Rachael is now looking forward to attending a site tour of the Eli Lilly facility in Cork as part of the prize package she won.

"I probably would like to look into expanding the project further, maybe next year," she adds.

The overall winners of this year's competition were Shane O’Connor and Liam Carew, aged 19 and in sixth year in the Abbey School, Tipperary. Their winning project was titled 'Assessing the impact of second-level education on key aspects of adolescents’ life and development'.

They received the BTYSTE perpetual trophy and a cash prize of €7,500. The winners go on to represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists, which takes place in Brussels, Belgium, in September 2023. They’ll also get to attend the 64th Annual London International Youth Science Forum this summer.