SciFest’s main object is: To promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education through the provision of a forum for students at local/regional/national level to present and display their scientific investigations.
The SciFest programme consists of a series of one-day STEM fairs for second-level students. SciFest was set up to encourage an interest in, and love of, the STEM subjects. Being organised locally and regionally and being completely free to both students and schools It is designed to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. The programme is implemented at four levels: locally in schools, regionally in third level colleges, a national STEM fair for winners from the regional fairs, with winners from the national fair going on to represent Ireland at international events.
The programme is now in its 19th year and participation continues to increase. In the 2023/2024 academic year over 15,000 second-level students took part in one or more levels of the programme, 144 schools participated in the local level, and over 230 schools brought students to the regional fairs. The overall winner from last year's National Final competed in the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles in May where he won one of the top prizes as well as first in his category. He will now represent Regeneron ISEF at the European Contest for Young Scientists in Poland in September.