Uganda adventure for Ballyclare’s budding scientists

Fourth year pupils Zoe Cheshire, from Ballyclare, and Emily Lecky, from Doagh, scooped the prestigious ‘Self-help Science for Development Award’ in the 2014 BT Young Scientist competition, after developing a water purification device for crisis-hit countries.

The duo also achieved second place in the competition’s Intermediate Technology Category.

The award was the latest in a long line of accolades for the budding scientists, beginning in 2013 when they competed in the Sentinus Young Innovators competition. Their achievements continued in 2014, when they won the Judges’ Award in the First Lego League and were Highly Commended in the National Science and Engineering Competition’s Intermediate Technology and Engineering section.

Explaining the success of their invention, Zoe told The Times: “We invented a solar powered water sanitation device using a parabolic curved mirror, a bottle and a phial of stearic acid. When the rays are reflected by the mirror and heat the water, the phial of stearic acid heats too. It only melts at 69 degrees, whereas the bacteria in water is killed at 65 degrees, so when the acid has melted you know the water is good to drink.”

The girls’ pioneering invention, which they have designed for use in disaster relief, is the first time that this technology has been brought together to purify water.

Significantly, Zoe says that the inspiration for the project was the Ballyclare High School curriculum: “We had been looking at different subjects in school-in Geography we learnt about natural disasters, in Home Economics we learnt about safety temperatures, in Chemistry we learnt about stearic acid and in maths we learnt about parabolic mirrors. Then our Physics teacher Dr Wilson suggested that we should enter the Sentinus competition. Our Head of Biology Mrs Craig also helped us by showing us how to test that the water was bacteria-free.”

The girls received a boost when their design was chosen from among 1,500 other competitors to take part in the BT Young Scientists’ competition. The girls say that winning the highly competitive awards came as a complete surprise. Zoe revealed: “We walked into the ceremony expecting to watch other people on the stage and then we were called up twice for two different awards. They had the spotlight on us which was a bit surreal, and it was a bit like the Oscars, even though it was a science competition!”

After arriving at Kumit Secondary School in Uganda, the girls got the chance to see if their invention would work in the field, and to discuss the device with the people it was designed to help. They also travelled around Uganda, sight-seeing and meeting local people. Emily recalled: “We came across local children, and we talked to the girls and danced with them. Then we gave them bracelets as gifts. Something so small made those children so happy. Since leaving we have both talked about going back to Uganda together-it’s been a great experience.”

Paying tribute to their dedication, Ballyclare High School teacher Andrea McCullough told The Times: “They deserve a lot of credit and recognition for what they have done. They are sensible girls and they are going somewhere. This has created a tremendous buzz for them and for the staff at the school to continue experiencing competitions. Going to Uganda was a life-changing experience for them.”