Media Centre

2007 Winners

The BT Young Scientist of the Year 2007 is Somalian born Abdusalam Abubakar, a 3rd year student from CBS Synge Street, Dublin 8. Abdusalam project entitled, “An Extension of Wiener’s Attack on RSA” was announced by Minister for Education & Science Mary Hanafin TD and Mike Maloney, COO, BT Ireland at an awards ceremony held this evening at the RDS, Dublin 4. Abdusalam was entered in the Chemical, Physical & Mathematical Sciences category, Intermediate Section.

According to the judges, “Abdusalam mastered enormously complex mathematics which limit the security of encrypted digital and internet messages. Encryption means changing the letters of a message into a string of numbers which have meaning only to the person that knows the key. He has developed further conditions restricting the design of safe keys. Security keys are chosen using very large numbers and Abdusalam has increased the security of keys by improving the rigour of the encryption process. For a student still in second level, such command and insight into cutting edge mathematical research is remarkable.”

Catrina Sheridan, Chairperson of the judging panel and Director of Marketing at BT Ireland said, “Our 2007 winner greatly impressed all of our judges with his grasp of the importance of networked computer security. 43 years on and the judging panel continues to be astounded at the breadth of knowledge of participating students.”

Minister for Education & Science, Mary Hanafin TD accompanied by Mike Maloney, COO, BT Ireland presented Abdusalam with a cheque for €5,000, a Waterford Crystal trophy and the opportunity to represent Ireland at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists taking place in Sweden this coming September.

“The BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition, now in its 43rd year, continues to break all records for number of schools attending, projects entered and visitors to the event. BT’s goal is to promote science and technology in schools across the island and to highlight the importance of these fields to Ireland’s future as a knowledge economy,” commented Mike Maloney, COO, BT Ireland.

Further awards presented tonight included Best Group named as Timothy Seebus, Justin Cullinane and Ben Finnegan, from Maynooth Post Primary School, Co Kildare for their Technology project in the Senior section entitled “How to Launch a Radio Station Using Web Technology.” They received a prize of €2,400 and a BT Perpetual Trophy.

The award for individual runner-up went to Ciara Murphy from Beara Community School, Co Cork for her project entitled “Hearing Loss in Teenagers” entered in the Senior Section of the Biological & Ecological Sciences category. She was awarded €1,200 and a BT Perpetual Trophy.

The runner-up group were named as Paul MacEoin and Ross Driver from Salesian College, Co Kildare. They were awarded €1,200 and a BT Perpetual trophy for their project entitled “Bioengineering a Biological Airway – A possible treatment for respiratory airway diseases” entered in the Senior Section of the Biological & Ecological category.

Awards were also presented at Junior, Intermediate and Senior levels in the following categories: