Challenging the 12 to 19-year-old age group to understand and explain some facet of science, this annual Competition is an opportunity for students to develop their communication skills and incorporate scientific topics into fresh and exciting literary work.

For many students, this is their first piece of independent scientific research and is therefore an important way for them to learn how to communicate that research to others.

Entries can be in the form of a science report based on scientific facts or a short story which is limited only by the students’ imagination. No restrictions are placed on the topic that the student can write about – they decide. Before beginning their work students are advised to check out the list of top tips for writing a prize-winning entry and read the full entry guidelines.

Past winning entries have included: journalistic style interviews with practicing scientists to learn more about their areas of research; topical matters such as gene therapy, the Big Bang and nuclear energy; and chronicles of the life and works of famous scientists including Galileo, Einstein and Archimedes.

Entries are placed into three age categories 12–13, 14–16 and 17–19 years old. First and second prizes are awarded in each category and the overall winner receives the perpetual trophy as well as their very own state-of-the-art laptop courtesy of generous support from the Marine Institute. Details of all winning and highly commended entries from 2009 and 2008 are available, together with the full text of each entry.

Over a period of almost twenty years Brendan McWilliams’ daily Weather Eye column in The Irish Times was one of the most popular features of the newspaper. He remained an outstanding science communicator, dedicated to bringing an understanding of science to a wider audience, until he passed away in late 2007. As a tribute to his memory, the Competition was renamed the RDS McWilliams Young Science Writers’ Competition, in 2008.

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