Students from St Mary’s Secondary School Mallow emerged triumphant at the 2025 BT Young Scientist with the Teagasc Special Award.
Alvy Fitzgerald, Anna Duggan and Leah O’Sullivan also won the first junior group in the biological and ecological category for their outstanding scientific achievements.
The winning project was titled 'An Investigation into using Total Leaf-Area as a predictive tool for determining below-ground biomass at all stages in the growth of selected Root-Crop Plants'.
"We used a drone to scan the leaf area this year, instead of the manual method we tried last year," said Anna Duggan.
Research
The BT Young Scientist exhibition took place from Thursday 9 to Saturday 11 January, attracting over 1,000 participants from schools across the island of Ireland.
The team worked tirelessly to develop and present their project under the guidance of their teacher Rory Coote.
Their project stood out for its thorough research, experimental methodology and the potential impact in improving the efficiency and sustainability of root-crop farming.
"A future in agricultural science is definitely on the horizon," added teammate Leah O’Sullivan.
Teagasc special award
The Teagasc Special Award, presented by Teagasc director Prof Frank O’Mara, recognises the project that best demonstrates a thorough understanding of the science of agricultural or food production.
The students will also be invited to visit one of the Teagasc sites to learn more about work in this area.
"The students should be incredibly proud of their remarkable achievements and we wish them continued success in their scientific journeys," said O’Mara.
"Their dedication, curiosity and passion for scientific discovery are truly inspiring. This accomplishment not only showcases the exceptional talent within their school, but also underscores their commitment to addressing real-world challenges in agriculture and food research."
Read more
Thurles student wins sustainable farming award at BT Young Scientist
Projects on fertiliser and ACRES payments to feature at BT Young Scientist
Agri Careers: students using STEM to find solutions to current problems
Students from St Mary’s Secondary School Mallow emerged triumphant at the 2025 BT Young Scientist with the Teagasc Special Award.
Alvy Fitzgerald, Anna Duggan and Leah O’Sullivan also won the first junior group in the biological and ecological category for their outstanding scientific achievements.
The winning project was titled 'An Investigation into using Total Leaf-Area as a predictive tool for determining below-ground biomass at all stages in the growth of selected Root-Crop Plants'.
"We used a drone to scan the leaf area this year, instead of the manual method we tried last year," said Anna Duggan.
Research
The BT Young Scientist exhibition took place from Thursday 9 to Saturday 11 January, attracting over 1,000 participants from schools across the island of Ireland.
The team worked tirelessly to develop and present their project under the guidance of their teacher Rory Coote.
Their project stood out for its thorough research, experimental methodology and the potential impact in improving the efficiency and sustainability of root-crop farming.
"A future in agricultural science is definitely on the horizon," added teammate Leah O’Sullivan.
Teagasc special award
The Teagasc Special Award, presented by Teagasc director Prof Frank O’Mara, recognises the project that best demonstrates a thorough understanding of the science of agricultural or food production.
The students will also be invited to visit one of the Teagasc sites to learn more about work in this area.
"The students should be incredibly proud of their remarkable achievements and we wish them continued success in their scientific journeys," said O’Mara.
"Their dedication, curiosity and passion for scientific discovery are truly inspiring. This accomplishment not only showcases the exceptional talent within their school, but also underscores their commitment to addressing real-world challenges in agriculture and food research."
Read more
Thurles student wins sustainable farming award at BT Young Scientist
Projects on fertiliser and ACRES payments to feature at BT Young Scientist
Agri Careers: students using STEM to find solutions to current problems
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