Following his Runner-Up Best Project and EirGrid Cleaner Energy awards at the Regional Final of SciFest, 5th year Fionn Campbell presented his project ‘A Crystal Clear Way to Slow Down Ireland’s Energy Crisis’ at the National Final on the 29th of November in Marino Conference Center.
In his project, Fionn designed and tested a prototype piezoelectric speed ramp which could convert the impacts from road traffic to electricity for use in the grid. More recently, Fionn designed a series of features such as rumble strips which incorporate the key crystal lead zirconate titanate to allow the harvesting of waste kinetic energy across the wider road network.
On the day, Fionn impressed the judges with his passion for the subject, excellent communication skills and detailed designs. In a first for the school, he was awarded the prestigious Berlin Long Night of Science Award. The prize is an experiential award supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and covers an all-expenses paid three night trip to the Berlin Long Night of Science exhibition in June 2025.