Coláiste Mhuire Co-Ed in Thurles receives Special Commendation at BD STEM STARS awards
The future of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in the Mid-West shone in the brightest regional spotlight as the final of the 2022 BD STEM STARS Award took place at the company’s Research Centre Ireland (RCI) in Limerick.
Students from five shortlisted schools, including Coláiste Mhuire Co-Ed in Thurles, put a brilliant best-foot forward with projects focused on tackling unmet health issues for the annual showcase aimed at encouraging the best young STEM minds in the region to deepen understanding of their capacity to transform health in the years ahead.
The STEM STARS programme, which is supported by the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, is the biggest awards progamme of its kind kind in the region, offering a total prize-fund of €25,000, with the top prize of €10,000, which will go towards stem related facilities at their school, going to Maha Shahzadi from Coláiste Nano Nagle.
Maha grabbed the attention of judges for project, which saw her develop an accessibility app for visually impaired people that allows them shop independently.
The schools submitted their final entries to BD last month and were assigned a mentor from the company to work with them on the project. The students had to show how they firstly identified an issue and then how, through research, testing and learning, their approach to solving it by using what they learn in STEM subjects.
The STEM STARS finalists’ interest and understanding of the exciting growth sector was further piqued during the day as they were given guided tours of the high-tech laboratories at the facility before the winners were announced.
Padraig Fitzgerald, BD RCI’s Site Director said:
“This event is now in its third year and we were blown away today by the standard of the projects. Our overall objective is to help promote awareness among students of the possibilities within STEM, from the potential to impact real and positive change on human health to the rewarding careers that can be forged in the sector,” said Mr Fitzgerald.
“We also want to widen understanding of the diversity of roles within STEM as the opportunity and potential is there for so many people to have life-long, meaningful careers in the area.
“The standard of entries this year were again fantastic. The innovation, the focus and the desire to make a difference of the students was so encouraging. We can be very confident about the future of STEM if the standard we saw today is representative of what is out there.
Donncha O Treasaigh, Director of Schools at the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board said:
“Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, the state education and training authority for the Limerick and Clare region in Ireland is delighted to partner with BD in promoting this innovative and exciting competition across schools in the region.
“We wish to congratulate all students, their teachers and school communities for helping to inspire and motivate students to engage in STEM and helping to transform the lives of our students, our learners and communities.
To find out more about the winning entries and the BD STEM Stars winners from this year and previous years, visit https://emea.jobs.bd.com/bd-stemstars
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