TWO DUBLIN students have won the overall award at the 2022 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition for their project entitled 'A New Method of Solving the Bernoulli Quadrisection Problem'.
Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar, third year students at Synge Street CBS, won the award by using modern computation methods to solve geometry problem first solved by Jacob Bernoulli in 1687.
They used the technique of “particle swarm optimisation”, a computer algorithm inspired by biological phenomena seen in the behaviour of flocks of birds or swarms of bees.
The project was entered into the Chemical, Physical & Mathematical Sciences category, and it is the fourth time for the school to win the top prize having won previously in 2004, 2009 and 2012.
Professor Pat Guiry, Professor of Synthetic Organic Chemistry at UCD and Chair of Group Chemical, Physical & Mathematical Sciences Judging Panel commended the winning project.
"The students tackled the problem using the technique of particle swarm optimisation, an algorithmic approach inspired by the biological phenomena of the behaviour of individuals within flocks or swarms.
"The judges were highly impressed by their elegant work, their creative ideas and their excellent presentation skills. The students presented a new approach to a problem that dates back to 1687, while also identifying areas of possible application in contemporary engineering."
This year's competition was held online due to the pandemic.
The winners will receive €7,500 in prize money and the chance to represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists .
Best Overall Individual went to Ross O’Boyle from Portmarnock Community School, Dublin, for a project which investigated the effectiveness of various ventilation methods as a proxy for the spread of Covid-19 in both controlled and real life scenarios.
Other winning projects looked into the development of a bipedal robot for home care and the development of a program of interventions for the reduction of stress among junior doctors.
Tweeting before the award ceremony, Minister for Education Norma Foley wished good luck to participants and thanked those involved in bringing organising the event.
Looking forward to addressing the 58th BTYSTE Awards. Wishing everyone who took part the very best of luck. I would like to extend my thanks to everyone involved; the organisers, the judges, the dedicated teachers; and of course, the parents, guardians and families. #BTYSTE2022 pic.twitter.com/hNfKywGa2S
— Norma Foley T.D (@NormaFoleyTD1) January 14, 2022
