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DUBLIN CITY UNIVERSITY  

M ICHAEL A. COTTER

IBM/DCU Irish Science Olympiad 2002-03

Over 500 students from every county in Ireland gathered at Dublin City University on Saturday, December 7th 2002 to compete in the 2002-03 IBM/DCU Irish Science Olympiad now in its tenth year. This All-Ireland science competition in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Programming and Physics is open to all second-level students. These students were also competing for places on the Irish 2003 EUSO teams (see page 87) and the Irish 2003 International Science Olympiads teams (see page 88).

The students began arriving at DCU at 10.00am to register for each of the five individual competitions, and the three-hour tests began at 11.00am.

Dr Paraic James, who is responsible for the Chemistry Section of the Olympiad, had a team of DCU staff and postgraduate students ready to supervise  and correct the tests. By 4.00pm they achieved the almost impossible task of naming the trophy and medal winners and the panel of students from which the International Chemistry team was to be selected. This feat was also achieved in Biology by Professor Richard O Kennedy and his team, in Computer Programming by Mr Charlie Daly and his team, and in Physics by Dr Eilish McLoughlin and her team.

At 4.00pm the students, many accompanied by their parents and teachers, crowded into a packed Larkin Theatre for the closing ceremony. Professor Albert Pratt, DCU Vice President, opened the proceedings by welcoming Minister Mary Hanafin TD to DCU. He thanked the parents and teachers for  their support and encouragement of these talented young Irish scientists, and IBM, the Department of Education & Science and Forf�s for sponsoring this event. He was particularly appreciative of the tremendous effort put in by the DCU staff and postgraduate students in bringing the 2002-03 IBM/DCU Irish Science Olympiad to a successful conclusion.

These sentiments were echoed by Ms Anna McKeown, Corporate Community Relations Manager at IBM, and by Minister Mary Hanafin TD.

Mr Charlie Daly, the Irish IOI team leader announced the winners of the Computer Programming Competition and the team to represent Ireland at International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) in W isconsin, USA, in August 200:

Dr Eilish McLoughlin, the Irish IPhO team leader announced the winners of the Physics Competition and the panel of eight students from which the Irish team of five to represent Ireland at International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) in Taipei, Taiwan, in August was selected:

Professor Richard O' Kennedy, the Irish IBO team leader announced the winners of the Biology Competition and the panel of eight students from which the Irish team of four to represent Ireland at International Biology Olympiad (IBO) in Minsk, Belerus, in July was selected:

Dr Paraic James, the Irish IChO team leader announced the winners of the Chemistry Competition and the panel of students from which the Irish team of four to represent Ireland at International  Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) in Athens, Greece, in July was selected:

The panels of students for the international Science Olympiads received training from the DCU science faculty staff before the final selection process in May. Prior to their departure to the IBO, IChO, IOI and IPhO, teams completed a weeklong intensive residential training programme in DCU. Medal winners at the Internationals also receive IBM University scholarships.

 Contact: Michael A. Cotter, Director, Irish Science Olympiad, Science Faculty, DCU, Dublin 9; E-mail: [email protected]