Merck Cork Facility Promotes Interest in STEM
10th June 2019
Merck, a leading science and technology company, today announced that students from St Aloysius’ College in Carrigtwohill have won the company’s 2019 School Science Competition, now in its 15th year.
Aoife Morris and Tianha Williams, both from Midleton, each won the overall prize for their project, ‘Developing an organic solar cell coating solution to mitigate fossil fuel usage by motor vehicles’. The students offered alternatives to fossil fuel usage in cars by developing a solar cell coating that powers vehicles with solar energy.
“Merck’s School Science Competition is one of my favourite events of the year. As well as being a demonstration of the Cork site’s commitment to science education and promoting an interest in STEM subjects locally, it is a real energy boost for all of us involved,” said Martin McAuliffe, head of Operations at Merck’s Cork site. “I can’t speak highly enough of our colleagues on site who support this event and give generously of their time during the year to work with the schools and the students.”
The contestants were required to create projects in the STEM space and were free to pick any subject. As part of the final project, the students created posters to display at the event and presented their projects to a panel of judges. The three judges included two Merck employees and a representative from University College Cork (UCC). The winners each won an iPad for their projects.
Merck established the competition to raise awareness of STEM disciplines and encourage secondary-level students to consider careers in these fields. Merck employees visited the schools on three occasions to offer mentorship and advice to participants.
Pictured: Participants with their teachers and Merck personnel, at the presentation to the winners of the Merck school science competition at the Radisson Hotel, Little Island, Co. Cork.
