PRESIDENT Catherine Connolly praised the talent and ability of Ireland’s youth as she gave the opening speech at the annual Stripe Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.
The event, which opened to the public today at the RDS in Dublin, was formally opened by the President yesterday, along with Stripe co-founder Patrick Collinson, who is himself a former Young Scientist Exhibition winner.
Returning to the exhibition two decades after winning the top prize in 2005, Mr Collinson said that win “changed his life”.
“It was the first time I had the chance to do something I thought was interesting, just for its own sake, and then to have other people take it seriously,” he explained.
“I don't think I'd be where I am without it.”
Student and campaigner Cara Darmody shows off her project about addressing and combating misconceptions and misinformation about Autism diagnoses at the Stripe Young Scientist Exhibition in the RDSOffering advice for students in the room, he said: “If you're ever worried all the big problems have been solved, no, absolutely not.
“We don't know why people sleep; we don't know how sleep works; we don’t know what’s going on in a thunderstorm.
“The good news is nothing's been solved. Everything is still in play. And teenagers can do great things.
“Gauss, Pascal and Galois made significant contributions to mathematics as teenagers.
“Louis Braille invented his writing system when he was a teenager. Aaron Swartz helped create RSS when he was 14.
“Vitalik Buterin wrote the white paper for Ethereum when he was 19.
“So figure out what you're really interested in, pursue it with real tenacity, and then set your sights high. You can do great work.”
President of Ireland Catherine Connolly gave the opening address at the Stripe Young Scientist Exhibition yesterdayMore than 1,000 secondary students arrived at the RDS in Dublin yesterday morning to prepare 550 project stands, with the judging of their work beginning yesterday afternoon.
Today the exhibition opens to the public, where thousands are expected to view their projects.
President Connolly described the yearly competition as “an important event in the annual calendar for secondary school students to demonstrate their creativity, ingenuity and knowledge”.
“The projects on display here are the wonderful end result of the rigorous application of the scientific method to these subjects,” she said.
“The exhibition also serves as an opportunity to put science and technology themselves under the microscope, and indeed to pose the question, what conclusions might society come to following a rigorous application of the scientific method to these subjects?” the President added.
“More specifically what questions are being asked, what data is being collected, the nature of the analysis carried out, the conclusions drawn, for what purpose, and to whose benefit?"
She explained: “While I believe that science and technology have the greatest potential to serve the common good, it is important to remember that they are never neutral, in their purpose or application.
“The choice of scientific topic and its purpose is so significant. That is why the decisions you make regarding the areas that you pursue for further study, investigation and exploration are critically important.
“When I look around today, I feel a sense of hope for the future – hope sourced not only in the brilliant young scientists I have met who are full of creativity, curiosity and ingenuity, but also enthusiastic global citizens.”
Student Ayra Sathresh from Letterkenny with her project Eco Purge Bioderradable Plastic with Enzyme driven Microplastic Degradation at the Stripe Young Scientist Exhibition in the RDSIreland’s Education Minister Hildegarde Naughton has also praised those taking part in this year’s competition.
“The Stripe Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition is an exciting and important time in Ireland’s annual education calendar when pupils and students come together to showcase the creativity, innovation and determination which demonstrates exactly why they are world-leaders in their performance in science and technology,” she said.
“Over 60 years since it first took place, the exhibition at the RDS continues to highlight what’s possible in our world when open and inquiring minds ask questions and explore new opportunities and solutions.”
The Minister added: “It was a pleasure to meet with students and members of school communities the length and breadth of Ireland and wish them well as they begin three days of an exhibition which is sure to inspire, to prompt thought and conversation and to help bring about positive change and development in our society.
“Stripe is a significant Irish success story started in the years following Patrick Collison’s own win and there is every possibility for pupils and students exhibiting today to follow in his footsteps or blaze their own trail in their chosen field following their own 2026 Stripe Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition experience.
“To all pupils and students taking part, I’d like to wish the very best of luck and enjoy it. “You have already achieved so much in getting to this stage.
This year’s exhibition, which remains open to the public until Saturday, January 10, will see 1,060 pupils and students from 211 schools present 550 projects on a range of science themes covering everything from AI to climate change, to behavioural trends.
