Pictured left to right are Jim Connolly, Senior Spectrum Advisor at ComReg and the winner of the ComReg Technology Award Ben Chapman from Scoil Mhuire Community School, Kildare.

This year, ComReg sponsored a Special Award in the Technology category at the 2010 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition for the project which provided the most innovative application of technology in radiocommunications. The winner of the award was Ben Chapman from Scoil Mhuire Community School, Kildare for his project entitled Exploitation of Routers using Alternative DNS Servers.

The BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition is an annual competition which entered its 46th year in 2010 – making it one of the longest standing exhibitions of its kind in the world. Held every January, the exhibition encourages interest in science in secondary and primary schools.

ComReg also hosted a stand for the duration of the exhibition which saw a huge number of visitors. Members of ComReg’s Enforcement Team gave practical demonstrations of the equipment they use to track down unlicensed radio users in interference investigations. Staff from the ComReg Consumer Team were also on hand to advise people on any telecommunications issues they may be experiencing. Staff were extremely encouraged by the interest and enthusiasm of students, teachers and members of the public who visited the stand over the course of the exhibition.

ComReg’s involvement in the BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition is part of the ongoing Outreach Initiative to offer impartial and independent advice to consumers and to promote the role and services of ComReg.