Nov 13, 2023Nov 13, 2023 Enda O'Connell Uncategorized

ReelLIFE SCIENCE 2023 Winners Announced!

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell and SFI Director General Prof. Philip Nolan with teacher Brian Ó Meacháin and students from Gaelscoil Riabhach, Loughrea, Co. Galway
ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell and BT Young Scientist winners Liam Carew and Shane O’Connor with Gabriel McCrystal, Frankie Zak and Shaun Irimpan from Coláiste Na Mí, Navan, Co. Meath
1ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell and CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit with Arden Oakes from Grow Music, Dundalk, Co. Louth

From planets to penicillin and artificial intelligence to vaping, short science videos made by young Irish filmmakers have been celebrated at the 11^th Annual ReelLIFE SCIENCE Awards in University of Galway.

The event took place on Sunday November 12 as part of Science Week 2023 and the 26^th Galway Science and Technology Festival.

More than 400 short science films were entered into the competition created by 2,600 young science enthusiasts in 131 schools and youth groups taking part across the island of Ireland.

The winning videos, which can be viewed below, were selected by a panel of guest judges including science communicator and engineer Dr Niamh Shaw; RTÉJr TV presenter and scientist Mark ‘The Science Guy’ Langtry; and the 2023 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition winners, Liam Carew and Shane O’Connor.

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Special Guest Judges 2023 (l-r: Mark Langtry, Dr. Niamh Shaw, Shane O’Connor,

ReelLIFE SCIENCE is based in the University of Galway College of Science and Engineering and is supported by the Science Foundation Ireland Discover Programme, the CÚRAM Centre for Research in Biomedical Devices, Cell EXPLORERS, Foróige and the Galway Science and Technology Festival.

Primary School Winners

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell and SFI Director General Prof. Philip Nolan with teacher Brian Ó Meacháin and students from Gaelscoil Riabhach, Loughrea, Co. Galway (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

1^st Prize Primary School Twenty-two talented fourth class students from Gaelscoil Riabhach in Loughrea, Co. Galway, along with their teacher Brian Ó Meacháin, won the €1,000 first prize for their video ‘Creatha Talún’ explaining earthquakes and visualising volcanoes.

SFI Director General Prof. Philip Nolan with teacher Tommy Buckley and students from Lissivigeen National School, Killarney, Co. Kerry (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

Runners-up Primary School Fourth class students from Lissivigeen National School, Killarney, Co. Kerry brought us on a trip around the solar system in ‘The Science Video’

SFI Director General Prof. Philip Nolan with students and teachers from Abbey Primary School, Boyle, Co. Roscommon (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

3rd Place Primary School Students from Abbey Primary School from Boyle, Co. Roscommon finished third with a history of penicillin in ‘The Messy Mistake that Changed the World’.

Post-Primary School Winners

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell and BT Young Scientist winners Liam Carew and Shane O’Connor with Gabriel McCrystal, Frankie Zak and Shaun Irimpan from Coláiste Na Mí, Navan, Co. Meath (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

1^st Prize Post-Primary Gabriel McCrystal, Shaun Irimpan and Frankie Zak, transition year students from Coláiste Na Mí, Navan, Co. Meath, dramatised the effects of vaping in young people in ‘This is Bob’ and claimed the €1,000 first prize.

BT Young Scientist winners Liam Carew and Shane O’Connor with Olivia Penfold and Mahveen Farooq from Loreto Secondary School, Kilkenny (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

Runners-up Post-Primary Mahveen Farooq and Olivia Penfold from Loreto Secondary School, Kilkenny answered the question ‘Is There a Connection Between Handedness and Dominant Eyes?’

BT Young Scientist winners Liam Carew and Shane O’Connor with James Molloy from Belvedere College SJ, Dublin (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

3rd Place Post-Primary James Molloy from Belvedere College, Dublin was awarded third place, for developing a diagnostic artificial intelligence model in ‘Using AI to Diagnose X-Rays’.

Youth Organisation Winners

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell and CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit with Arden Oakes from Grow Music, Dundalk, Co. Louth

1^st Prize Youth Organisation Young filmmaker and musician Arden Oakes, from Grow Music, Dundalk, Co. Lough, won the €1,000 youth group prize for his video ‘How the Ear Works’.

CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit with Cal O’Loughlin, Daniel O’Connor, Ciaran Hopkins and Seamus O’Loughlin from 29th Limerick Bruff Scout Group (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

Runners-up Youth Organisation – Bruff Scout Group, Limerick came second for ‘The Science of Scouting Burns and how to treat them’.

CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit with Caroline Cooke, Manager of Foróige Youth Entrepreneurship, Employability Programmes and Digital Skills Department (photo Andrew Downes XPOSURE)

3rd Prize Youth Organisation Third place went to Arranmore Island UBU Foróige Club, Co. Donegal who coded a ‘Dancing Robot’.

Special Category Awards

Bandonbridge National School, Bandon, Co. Cork	Junior Scientists Award
Scoil Phádraig, Westport, Co. Mayo	Best Acting Award
Sooey National School, Sooey, Co. Sligo	Best Costumes Award
Bullaun National School, Loughrea, Co. Galway	Teamwork Award
King’s Hospital School, Dublin 20	Science and Me Award
Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ, Limerick	Animation Award
Alexandra College, Dublin 6	Best Science Song
Loreto College, Dublin 2	Being Green Award
Erris Foróige Youth Service, Belmullet, Co. Mayo	Comedy Award
Foróige Eastside Youth Service, Galway	Science in Real Life Award

Addressing the finalists at the event via video message, competition judge Dr. Niamh Shaw said, “I have every faith that we have a very healthy future ahead of us because we have a country full of really great science explainers. Never lose that passion that you have to share how you understand science and how you see the world.”

The ReelLIFE SCIENCE programme challenges young people in schools and youth groups across the island of Ireland to engage with science and technology while developing their communication and digital skills, by producing short educational videos for the public.

Participating schools and youth organisations in Ireland and Northern Ireland 2013-2023

Since being launched in 2013 by a team of scientists from the University of Galway College of Science and Engineering, this challenge has been met by over 26,000 young people, supported by teachers and staff in 750 schools and youth groups.

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Founding Director Dr Enda O’Connell said,: “Congratulations to all the winners today, but also to every young person who demonstrated their passion for science and science communication by taking part in ReelLIFE SCIENCE this year. A special word of thanks to all the teachers and youth workers who nurture this passion, and through these videos, engage, inform and inspire the public.”

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Movie Posters 2023

Nov 15, 2022Nov 16, 2022 Enda O'Connell 2022 Competition

ReelLIFE SCIENCE 2022 Winners Announced!

Youth Group winner Maya Coffey from Johnswell Youth Club, Kilkenny with mother Julia Boyle, ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell, CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit and BT Young Scientist winners Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar
Primary School Winners, fifth and sixth class students from Saint Hugh’s NS, Leitrim with teacher Pádraig Kenny, ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell, CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit and BT Young Scientist winners Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar
Secondary School winner Isadora Lowe from Ursuline Secondary School, Cork, with ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell, CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit and BT Young Scientist winners Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar

From the Science of Glass to the theories of Albert Einstein and from a Tour of the Heart to Why We Should Brush Our Teeth, short science videos made by young Irish filmmakers have been celebrated at the 10^th Annual ReelLIFE SCIENCE Awards in University of Galway.

The event took place on Sunday November 13^th, as part of Science Week 2022 and the 25^th Galway Science and Technology Festival.

More than 400 short science films were entered into the competition by more than 3,000 young science enthusiasts.

It is a record level of engagement with the ReelLIFE SCIENCE competition with 140 schools and youth groups taking part across the island of Ireland.

Winning videos were selected by a panel of guest judges including aeronautical engineer and author Dr Norah Patten; ‘Superhero Scientist’ and author Dr Barry Fitzgerald; and the 2022 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition winners, Aditya Kumar and Aditya Joshi from Synge Street CBS in Dublin. The winning videos can be viewed below.

Aeronautical engineer and Author Dr. Nora Patten; BT Young Scientist and EUCYS winners Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar; Superhero Scientist Dr. Barry Fitzgerald

ReelLIFE SCIENCE is supported by University of Galway, the Science Foundation Ireland Discover Programme, the CÚRAM Centre for Research in Biomedical Devices, the Community Knowledge Initiative, Cell EXPLORERS, Foróige and the Galway Science and Technology Festival.

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Winners 2022

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Movie Posters Galway Science and Technology Festival 2022

1^st Prize Primary School – Twelve talented fifth and sixth class students from Saint Hugh’s NS in Kilmore, Co Leitrim, along with their teacher Pádraig Kenny, won the €1,000 first prize for their video ‘Dr Magnifico’ explaining Albert Einstein’s theories of relativity.

Primary School Winners, fifth and sixth class students from Saint Hugh’s NS, Leitrim with teacher Pádraig Kenny, ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell, CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit and BT Young Scientist winners Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar

Runners-up Primary School – Ingenious junior infants of Bandonbridge NS, Co Cork demonstrated ‘Why We Should Brush Our Teeth’, while fifth and sixth class students from Scoil na nAingeal Naofa from Boyle, Co. Roscommon finished third with an exploration of ‘The Endocrine System’.

Junior Infants teacher Niamh Dineen from Bandonbridge NS, Co. Cork with, ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell, CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit and BT Young Scientist winners Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar

Fifth and sixth class students from Scoil na nAingeal Naofa, Roscommon, with teachers Sinead McManus and Cliodhna O’Donnell, ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell, CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit and BT Young Scientist winners Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar

1^st Prize Post-Primary – Accomplished animator Isadora Lowe, a transition year student from Ursuline Secondary School in Cork, guided by teacher Niamh O’Mahony, claimed the €1000 award for the stop-motion short ‘Tooth-in-Eye Surgery’.

Secondary School winner Isadora Lowe from Ursuline Secondary School, Cork, with ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell, CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit and BT Young Scientist winners Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar

Runners-up Post-Primary – Lauren Kinsella from Alexandra College, Dublin 6, with the illuminating ‘The Science of Glass’, while Elizabeth Boland and Heather Shanahan from Laurel Hill Coláiste FCJ in Limerick were awarded third place, while examining ‘How is Fight or Flight connected to Test Anxiety’.

Elizabeth Boland and Heather Shanahan from Laurel Hill Colaiste FCJ, Limerick, with ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell, CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit and BT Young Scientist winners Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar

1^st Prize Youth Organisation – Young filmmaker Maya Coffey, from Johnswell Youth Club Co Kilkenny, with the support of Youth Leader Breda Gill, won the €1000 prize for a video following a red blood cell called ‘Haemo’ on an educational ‘Tour of the Heart’.

Youth Group winner Maya Coffey from Johnswell Youth Club, Kilkenny with mother Julia Boyle, ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell, CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit and BT Young Scientist winners Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar

Runners-up Youth Organisation – Foróige Connect group from Castlebar, Co Mayo came second under the guidance of youth officer Clement Quinn for exploring the ‘Wood Wide Web’, while third place went to Galway Foróige AV Club, directed by youth officer Erika King, while looking at ‘How a Camera is like an Eye’.

Foróige Connect Castlebar members Tristan and Andrew with Youth Officer Clement Quinn, ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell, CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit and BT Young Scientist winners Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar

Georgia O’Byrne and Erin Geraghty from Galway City Foróige with ReelLIFE SCIENCE Director Dr. Enda O’Connell, CÚRAM Director Prof. Abhay Pandit and BT Young Scientist winners Aditya Joshi and Aditya Kumar

Special Category Awards 2022

Teamwork Award – Sooey NS, Co Sligo

Being Green Award – Scoil Chiaráin, Dublin 11

Science and Me Award – Ladyswell NS, Co Dublin

Físeán Gaeilge is Fearr – Gaelscoil Riabhach, Co Galway

Science Song Award – Presentation Secondary School Clonmel, Co Tipperary

Alicja Leoniuk, Kinga Adamczyk and Paulina Kolberg, from Presentation Secondary School Clonmel, winners of ‘Best Science Song’

Addressing the young filmmakers at the awards ceremony, Dr. Barry Fitzgerald said: “I was delighted to be one of the judges for the ReelLIFE SCIENCE video competition for schools and youth organisations for 2022. The level of the videos was just incredible – I loved watching them. I’d like to congratulate everyone who entered the competition and I encourage you to keep on making videos about science in the future.”

Celebrating 10 Years of ReelLIFE SCIENCE

Since being launched in 2013 by a team of scientists from the University of Galway College of Science and Engineering, this challenge has been met by over 23,000 young people, supported by teachers and staff in more than 680 schools and youth groups.

Galway Science and Technology Festival Chairman Paul Mee with Dr. Muriel Grenon presenting the ‘Galway Science Person of the Year Award for 2022’ to Dr. Enda O’Connell

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Founding Director Dr Enda O’Connell, was awarded Galway Science Person of the Year 2022 at the Galway Science and Technology Festival for his efforts over 10 years working on the programme.

After the awards were presented he said: “We were delighted again this year with the response to the competition, particularly with so many new schools and youth groups getting involved for the first time. We are always inspired by the inventiveness and creativity shown by the participants in their videos, and their passion for science and technology is clear to see. Congratulations to everyone who took part.”

Nov 15, 2021Nov 15, 2022 Enda O'Connell 2021 Competition

ReelLIFE SCIENCE 2021 Winners Announced!

ReelLIFE SCIENCE Winners 2021: (l-r) Le Cheile Secondary School, Foróige Hub Castlebar, Gaelscoil Riabhach

The winners of ReelLIFE SCIENCE 2021 have been announced as GAELSCOIL RIABHACH from Loughrea, Co. Galway at primary school level, LE CHÉILE SECONDARY SCHOOL from Tyrellstown, Dublin 15 at secondary school level and FORÓIGE HUB CASTLEBAR from Mayo at youth group level.

Winning videos were selected from a record 490 entries made by over 3,000 participants in 135 schools and youth groups in Ireland and Northern Ireland, by a panel of judges including NASA astronaut Col. Greg ‘Box’ Johnson, University College Dublin Professor of Zoology Emma Teeling amd the 2021 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition winner, Greg Tarr, from Bandon Grammar School in Cork.

Clockwise from bottom left, Greg Tarr, Prof. Emma Teeling, Col. Greg Johnson, map of schools and youth groups in Ireland and Northern Ireland participating ReelLIFE SCIENCE 2021.

ReelLIFE SCIENCE is based in NUI Galway and is supported by the Science Foundation Ireland Discover programme, the Community Knowledge Initiative, the CÚRAM Centre for Research in Medical Devices, Foróige and the Cell EXPLORERS science education and outreach programme. The ReelLIFE SCIENCE programme challenges young people in schools and youth groups around Ireland to engage with science and technology by producing short educational videos, while developing their communication and digital skills. Since being launched in 2013, this challenge has been met by more than 20,000 participants in over 600 schools and groups in Ireland and Northern Ireland.

You can watch all of the prizewinning videos below as screened online for the public as part of Science Week 2021 and the 24th Galway Science and Technology Festival on Friday November 12th, 2021.