IT STARTS HERE!
Top illusionist joins BT in call for students to enter the 2018 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition
Belfast, Wednesday 24th May, 2017: Top illusionist and television mentalist David Meade joined students at Belfast Metropolitan College today to officially launch the 2018 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE).
The launch took place at a Sci-Tech Workshop hosted by David Meade and coordinated by BT, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) and Belfast Metropolitan College. The workshop was designed to invigorate, inspire, and engage students and teachers alike in STEM subjects.
During the event, David Meade, who is an official ambassador for the BTYSTE, called on young people aged 12-19 years old to create their own project in the science, technology, engineering and maths categories and enter the 2018 BTYSTE.
The theme for BTYSTE 2018 is ‘It Starts Here’, signifying the beginning of opportunities for young people at the exhibition, where they can express their interest in STEM and demonstrate creativity by turning their ideas into reality.
Commenting on the launch, David Meade said: “I’m thrilled to be involved with the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition for the third year in a row as I am incredibly passionate about anything that inspires young people to continue to learn, explore and to take on new challenges and experiences.
“This world class exhibition allows students to use their imaginations to turn what they are learning in class each day into a fantastic idea and the exhibition can be, and has been, the starting point of a bright and brilliant future for many young people, allowing them to pursue exciting careers in STEM. I’ve met some fantastic students today and would strongly encourage these young people as well as young people across Northern Ireland to enter the 2018 BTYSTE.”
Mairead Meyer, Managing Director of Networks at BT in Northern Ireland, added: “At BT, we’re proud to be entering our 18th year as organiser and sponsor of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition. The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition is about much more than science. It allows young people to explore the world around them and discover what excites and interests them. This is what the BTYSTE is all about, creating the building blocks for the future generation of STEM leaders.
“As one of the longest standing exhibitions of its kind in the world, the future careers of many young people really have started at the BTYSTE and BT would like to encourage all teachers and pupils in schools across Northern Ireland to sign up to take part in this year’s competition. We’ve met some brilliantly gifted students at the workshop today and whatever their aspirations, all they need is a great idea so we’re encouraging them to enter and see their own personal discovery come to life.”
Justin Edwards, Chief Executive of the CCEA also commented:
“In today’s rapidly changing world, we need to make sure that our young people and teachers have the knowledge and understanding they need. Initiatives, such as the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, are so important in addressing this need. They create a space for teachers and students to work together to explore new ideas and to think about how to apply what they do in class to real life scenarios.”
The BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition will take place from the 10th-13th January 2018 at the RDS in Dublin and the closing date for entries to this year’s competition is 25th September 2017. The exhibition offers one of the most coveted awards for participants, with a substantial prize fund and the BTYSTE perpetual trophy, as well as over 140 prizes for individuals, groups and teachers. In addition, the overall winner will take part in the European Union Contest for Young Scientist in 2018.
For more information on the exhibition and for details on how to enter, log onto www.btyoungscientist.com or follow BTYSTE on Facebook and Twitter.
ENDS
For further information
For further information please contact:
Seona McGrath or Rachel Sinton at Smarts Communicate, (028) 90395500
seona.mcgrath@smartscommunicate.com / rachel.sinton@smartscommunicate.com
About the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition
The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition is Ireland’s premier STEM event for secondary school pupils. Since its origin in 1963, the BTYSTE has grown from a simple science fair to become one the most highly regarded platforms for encouraging young people to use the foundations of science, technology, engineering and maths to inspire new ideas and new ways of thinking about the world we live in. The exhibition itself is the final stage of the competition, which is open to all second level students from Ireland, both north and south. As well as the 550 shortlisted student projects on display each year, there are a further four exhibition halls filled with cutting edge science and technology based exhibits and entertainment, making it a thrilling event for those who enter and for general visitors alike. The 2018 BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition will take place from 10th-13th January in the RDS, Dublin 4. For more information on how to get involved visit www.btyoungscientist.com
About BT
BT’s purpose is to use the power of communications to make a better world. It is one of the world’s leading providers of communications services and solutions, serving customers in 180 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of networked IT services globally; local, national and international telecommunications services to its customers for use at home, at work and on the move; broadband, TV and internet products and services; and converged fixed-mobile products and services. BT consists of six customer-facing lines of business: Consumer, EE, Business and Public Sector, Global Services, Wholesale and Ventures, and Openreach.
For the year ended 31 March 2017, BT Group’s reported revenue was £24,062m with reported profit before taxation of £2,354m.
British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.
For more information, visit www.btplc.com
