Ciara, age 17 in 5th year, Saoirse, age 15 in 3rd year, and Laoise, age 12 in 1st year, win 61st BTYSTE, and 25th exhibition under BT Ireland’s custodianship, for their project
ACT (Aid Care Treat): App-timising emergency response
January 10, 2025: The winners of the 61st BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition (BTYSTE) have been announced. Sisters Ciara Murphy age 17, Saoirse Murphy age 15, and Laoise Murphy age 12 in 5th, 3rd and 1st year respectively, from Presentation Secondary School Tralee in Kerry have won the top prize with their project, ACT (Aid Care Treat): App-timising emergency response. The BTYSTE perpetual trophy was presented to the winners this evening at the RDS in Dublin by Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD and Managing Director of BT Ireland, Shay Walsh.
ACT is a medical assistance app designed to support emergency healthcare responses. It integrates crucial features to provide swift and effective aid during critical situations. This is the second year this project has been recognised at the exhibition having previously been awarded Runner-Up Group in 2024.
Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise have spent the last 12 months working on their project along with public and private sector stakeholders. The transformative app is designed to tackle challenges in transferring medical data effectively and efficiently to the emergency services. The app also has the capability to share precise geolocation co-ordinates. Once the data reaches the emergency services, there is the possibility for onward transmission to the dispatch control centres, the attending mobile units, and the hospitals in a matter of seconds.
During the project Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise built a working relationship with the Department of Health, the HSE and the National Ambulance Service, together with the Gardai, to maximise the potential of the app.
Professor Joe Barry, Chair of the Health & Wellbeing Group Judges, said, “I would like to congratulate Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise on bringing this project so far. The use of this technology has the potential to save lives and reduce recovery times. This project with the support of the emergency services has the potential to make a real difference in helping citizens in an emergency situation.”
In addition to receiving the top prize of €7,500, Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise will represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) this year in Riga, Latvia. Also, this year for the first time, Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise as the overall BTYSTE winners, together with the Best Individual winner, will be awarded a trip to the World Expo, in Osaka, Japan.
Speaking at the awards ceremony this evening, Minister for Education, Norma Foley TD said, “I’d like to sincerely congratulate Ciara, Saoirse and Laoise from Presentation Secondary School Tralee in Kerry on their extraordinary achievement of winning top prize in the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2025. This win is testament to their creativity, dedication and hard work and the tremendous support of their family, teachers and school. Way back in 1963, the founders Dr Tony Scott and Fr Tom Burke presented a vision and today in 2025, we congratulate the winners of the 61st Young Scientist competition – an outstanding legacy. I would also like to thank BT for their continued dedication to supporting and empowering students through this exhibition. The most outstanding aspect is the absolute engagement of students and their enthusiasm. It has been a privilege to meet them here in the RDS and to see the innovation, creativity and attention to detail in their projects.
It is heartening to see that Irish post-primary students in second year were in top position in the EU in Mathematics and Science in the latest international assessment of Mathematics and Science achievement – known as TIMSS 2023. The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition plays a key role in promoting our young people’s interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). I am committed to continuing to encourage STEM in our schools for the benefit of all learners.”
Tomás Markey aged 18, and in 6th year in St. Brogan’s College, Bandon in Cork, won the prize for Best Individual, with his project, PM-DAC: A system for removing CO2 from the atmosphere. PM-DAC is a Passive & Modular Direct Air Capture framework that reduces the cost of carbon dioxide sequestration in the fight against climate change.
Leonard Hobbs, Chair of Technology Individual Judges, said, “The judges were very impressed with the level of innovation demonstrated by the best overall individual winner, Tomás Markey who addressed one of the greatest challenges currently facing the world in the excess of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Tomás demonstrated his prototype at the exhibition which showcased an impressive mechanical and scalable design and novel carbon capture technology, which resulted in a cost effective approach to this challenging and topical issue.”
Luke Blackwell aged 16, and in 4th year in CBS Thurles in Tipperary, won the prize for Individual Runner-Up, with his project, A novel approach to regenerative agriculture through the use of comfrey as a sustainable soil enhancer. As part of his project, Luke undertook a comprehensive investigation into the use of comfrey, a sustainable biological soil enhancer, as an alternative to artificial fertilisers in agriculture.
Dr Eoin Lettice, Advocate Judge for the Biological & Ecological Category, said, “The project by Luke Blackwell of CBS Thurles uses comfrey, a native Irish plant, as a source of liquid fertiliser that can be an alternative to synthetic chemical fertilisers. The project represents a very broad and detailed piece of work which has the potential to make a significant contribution to regenerative agriculture and to sustainable food production generally. It demonstrates the significant role plants can play in solving global problems, and it impressed the judges with its rigorous approach.”
Aoife Fadian and Jessica O’Connor both in 4th year and aged 15 and 16 respectively, from Ursuline College in Sligo, won the prize for Runner-Up Group, with their project, ‘Sheep Strength’: Using wool to reinforce concrete. Their project involved testing the feasibility of mixing sheep wool with concrete as a more sustainable strengthening agent instead of polypropylene.
Barry Kennedy, Chair of the Technology Group Judges, said, “Aoife and Jessica carried out this excellent research project into the use of wool fibres, as a sustainable and renewable resource to strengthen concrete. Such use could potentially replace the current materials such as polypropylene fibres which are in use today. The students used extensive and rigorous testing techniques such as compression, tensile, drop, extreme heat, and freeze thaw. Their results have shown very positive potential for the use of wool in concrete. They demonstrated great skill, knowledge and hard work in investigating this more sustainable solution which could make valuable use of this renewable resource within Ireland.”
Shay Walsh, Managing Director of BT Ireland, said, “It has been an incredible week here at the RDS Dublin, and I would like to congratulate all the participants and finalists of this year’s BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, who have not only showcased some truly innovative project ideas, but have also done themselves, their teachers and schools, and families proud. In addition to demonstrating boundless energy and ingenuity across topics ranging from Artificial Intelligence (AI), cyber security, mental health, sustainability, agriculture and many more, what has been most uplifting is seeing how STEM subjects can be used for the betterment of society and the world around us.
Over the last twenty-five years, since taking up the custodianship of the YSTE, BT Ireland has been honoured to play our part in evolving one of the most prevalent and longstanding STEM exhibitions in the world, and look forward to seeing what exciting endeavours our winners have in store in the months and years ahead. To all of the judges, partners, sponsors, and BT volunteers, thank you for making this week so unforgettable for us all.”
The exhibition continues tomorrow, 11 January, and tickets are available through the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition website or onsite at the RDS in Dublin.
A full selection of pictures from today, including the winners, will be shared with the photo desk by Fennell Photography. Video highlights are available to watch on the BT Young Scientist YouTube channel