Research & Innovation

Chloe Bradley, a 5th year student from Mulroy College, Donegal, has won the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) Special Award at the BT Young Scientist competition 2014 for her project which investigated the nutritive value of gorse and heather as a food source for mountain sheep.

Chloe started working on her project in the summer of 2013 where she fed 27 sheep over a period of 5 weeks on gorse, heather and hay. Through this project she proved that this combination can be used as a food source for mountain sheep. This conclusion may have a positive economic impact for farmers and agriculture.

SFI Special Award Criteria

Each year, Science Foundation Ireland award students that have best described (through both their poster and their discussions with judges) how the outcomes of their project would have significant impacts and benefits for people in Ireland. The winners should have:

• Identified an issue or problem that is of critical importance to some or all of the people of Ireland.

• Visualised a clear strategy for how their project will tackle this issue or problem
• Demonstrated that they understand the challenges that would be faced in order for their project to succeed and have significant impacts
• Presented convincing data and results to show that their strategy has the potential to succeed.

Pictured presenting the award is Dr Graeme Horley, Scientific Programme Manager, Science Foundation Ireland to Chloe Bradley