18-05-2025
Ramsgrange students excel at SciFest competition
The group entered their project under its new name Cries 'til it's Chronic which investigates the potential gender bias in the treatment of chronic pain. SciFest is a nationwide programme for secondary school students which intends to promote science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education by providing a platform for second-level students to present and display their scientific investigations.
Currently in its 19th year, the competition attracts over 16,000 students to compete and present their scientific investigations. Regionally, 16 different SciFest@College events take place at a variety of different third-level institutions across the country, with the Ramsgrange students competing in the SETU Carlow event and as well as presenting their research, they also had the opportunity to view the facilities on offer at SETU Calow as well as obtaining information on the various STEM courses available.
Within the regional competition, the Ramsgrange students won Best Project Award and will now compete against the 15 other regional winners at the SciFest national finals where the projects will be evaluated by an expert panel of judges from academia, enterprise and government. Should the Ramsgrange students be the winners of the national finals, there will then be an opportunity for them to progress further and to represent Ireland at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in the USA and attend the Berlin Long Night of Science.
Not only did the girls come away with the Overall Best Project Award, but the judges were so highly impressed that that they were invited to present at the SETU Evolve Research Symposium – an incredible milestone and achievement, as they were the first post-primary students ever to be invited to this prestigious event.
The symposium is part of the 12th Festival of Ideas to Inspire Human Potential and featured talks from leading experts from five institutions across four countries, including: Dr. Irene Davis who is the founder of the Running Centre at Harvard Medical School, now a Professor at the University of South Florida in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science, Prof. Mark Johnson, a Professor of Pain at Leeds, Beckett University, known for his work on the nature and perception of pain, Dr. Ciaran Cosgrave who is the Director of UPMC Sports Medicine and the Institute for Health, former team doctor for the Irish Rugby Team, British and Irish Lions, Liverpool FC, and Leinster Rugby, Prof. Steffen Willwacher who is a Professor at Offenburg University, Germany, specializing in the risk of injury and overuse in sports and finally, Dr. Colin Griffin, Two-time Olympian, Olympic coach, and sport scientist with PhD research in lower limb injuries.
Representing the Cries 'Til It's Chronic group, Katie and Colleen, despite being the only post-primary school students present amongst the PhD and Post Graduate students and researchers in the field of sports science and pain, held their own and earned high praise for their contributions and making lots of connections to help further and continue their research.
