'PolyFuel' Impresses at Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

Blackwater Community School in Lismore, Co. Waterford has built up a strong reputation over the past few years for producing some of the finest young scientists in Ireland, their students excelling in the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition and in SciFest. Now two of their students, Ruairi O’Neill and Eoghan Flynn (pictured above after winning SciFest earlier this year), have taken home second place at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania last week! 

The boys, under the guidance of their expert science teacher David King (a former classmate of mine in university and truly one of the top science teachers in Ireland), came up with a cleaner and more energy efficient diesel replacement (which they called "polyfuel”) by processing used plastics they found around their house.

The project, Polyfuel: A Novel Solution to Fuel Shortages and Disposal of ELPs,  was awarded second place in the Environmental Management Category and they took home a handsome cheque for $1500! Earlier this year Ruairi and Eoghan were awarded the Intel Best Project Award in SciFest!

Marie Boran has a wonderful piece in today's Irish Times on Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and more detail on the boys great achievement!