Clashing directly with the recent G8, President Obama's visit to the Waterfront Hall, and the associated (and over-hyped) traffic chaos in Belfast city centre, is the type of nightmare scenario that would give most event organisers sleepless nights. Yet despite this, hundreds of young innovators and their teachers from across Northern Ireland still attended NI’s Largest Science Fair – the Sentinus Young Innovators Exhibition –at the nearby Odyssey Arena.
While Obama was eloquently suggesting that NI's future lay in the hands of the younger generation within the Waterfront Hall (and by association, not those of our comparatively ageing politicians, media and business leaders that also managed to snaffle a ticket), the Odyssey was meanwhile bursting with the very thing he must have had in mind.
As exemplars of what is required to drive forward a strong knowledge based economy in Northern Ireland, these young primary and secondary school students(and their excellent teachers) were at the Odyssey from early on - with their innovations and experiments in tow. Keen to avoid the expected traffic problems and with many travelling long distances from all parts of Northern Ireland they were not going to be deterred by the presence of Presidents or Prime Ministers. They have a passion for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) and were determined to showcase their excellent innovations. It was also an opportunity to meet and learn from fellow innovators from all traditions and to test themselves against their peers.
While it was a hugely successful event with many remarkable inventions and innovations on display, unfortunately not all the news was good on the day. Sentinus Chairman, Jim Stewart took the opportunity to express serious concerns about the current statutory curriculum commitment to STEM subjects in Northern Ireland. Speaking at the event he said;
“The presence of the G8 countries here today brings into sharp focus the economic standards that NI must aspire to and that is particularly apparent in their commitment to the promotion of Science Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects in their schools. Within Northern Ireland we have unfortunately been falling behind in this global race and the current curriculum commitment to the delivery of STEM subjects in our schools fall far short of what is needed to compete with the strongest economies in the world. In many primary schools STEM subjects are barely given lip service while in secondary schools there is no requirement for students to take STEM subjects, with the exception of maths, at GCSE level. If we are to compete with the best in the world we must inspire and enthuse more young people, like those attending the Young Innovators Event today, to see the importance of STEM subjects. Our concern is that we are barely able to meet the needs of current employers seeking such skills and if we are serious about becoming a strong knowledge economy, it is imperative that we act now and prioritise STEM on our school curriculum.”
With G8 mania behind us, this is a challenge that our politicians and leaders would do well to tackle. Developing a knowledge based economy is recognised as a critical part of our future economic aspirations and instilling an interest and passion for STEM subjects in our young people is a fundamental building block. Some have said that Northern Ireland has always had an innovation gene - but even accepting that was the case, it would appear that we need to rediscover it and to ensure it is embedded in our young people's DNA.
Business Editor at the Belfast Telegraph, David Elliot picked up on this point in a recent editorial where he said; "That news needs more urgent attention than anything which came out of G8 and should be the big take away from everything which has gone on this week."
Hopefully these words and those of Jim Stewart will not be lost in the G8 afterglow. 
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