BT

A message from Chris Clark, CEO BT

Welcome back, I hope you had a great summer and are all ready to get started on your entries for the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition 2010, which I’ll stress, is going to be the biggest and best ever, as this is BT’s 10th year as organiser and sponsor.

If you’re reading this BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition FactFile it means you are at least considering entering. And if I was you, I would. This is so much more than a competition, this is an unforgettable experience of a lifetime for the students who take part.

BT is a company with an incredible research, development and technological heritage. In fact that’s why we are the trustees of this competition and event. We are so passionate about the innovation captured by the students at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition that we are launching a brand new programme for 2010 called the “BT Business of Science & Technology”. This new initiative will highlight the link between innovation and entrepreneurship and help show how a scientific idea or project can become a commercial success. We’ll be selecting a number of students to participate in the programme and we’ll take them on an exciting innovative experience over five months, giving them business mentors from organisations across the island and helping them turn their idea into a commercial reality - who knows, these students could follow in the footsteps of our very own Patrick Collison, BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition winner 2005, who co-founded a technology company, Auctomatic, in 2007, which was acquired
ten months later for $5m!

I am also delighted to confirm that the €50,000/£45,000 BT Accommodation Grant will be available again this year for schools located more than 70km / 44 miles outside Dublin, this could be worth as much as €1000/£900 for your school. Simply complete the section on the Teacher Assessment form.

This is now the 46th year of the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition. Every year has proven more popular than the last and 2010 looks like continuing that trend. Wouldn’t it be great to be part of that history? Well, all you have to do is come up with an idea and enter. What have you got to lose? Check out our website www.btyoungscientist.com for everything you need to know.

Graduates studying technology, science, engineering and maths subjects are very much the future leaders of this island and by entering this competition you’ll have an added extra on your CV. A sentiment I’m sure Batt O’Keeffe, Minister for Education and Science in the Republic of Ireland and Caitriona Ruane, Minister for Education in Northern Ireland would agree with. I’ll take this opportunity now to thank them both for their continued support.

So, if you’re into problem solving and want to represent your school, town and county, please enter. I know everyone will be proud you did. Remember the closing date for entries is Monday 5th October. Good luck and hopefully I’ll see you at the exhibition.

 

Chris Clark
Chief Executive Officer, BT