Press release
Science for Development 2025 prize awarded to Bruce College Cork student
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Foreign Affairs
Published on
Last updated on
A project that has developed a noninvasive method of screening blood using smartphone cameras has been named winner of the 2025 Irish Aid / Self Help Africa Science for Development Award at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition.
Minister for International Development and Diaspora Seán Fleming, awarded the prize to Anaus Syed Muhammad, a student at Bruce College, Cork. He was supported by his teacher, Labhras White. The project – ‘HemaSense: Screens for anemia, blood conditions without needle sticks’ – created a method of noninvasive blood screening of haemoglobin using smartphone cameras.
Minister Fleming said:
"Science and technology has the potential to tackle major issues facing people across the world. The Science for Development Award encourages young people to use their curiosity and talent to develop projects with the potential to improve people’s lives and make the world a better place.
“I was hugely impressed by the projects on display. Anaus from Bruce College in Cork was a deserved winner for his innovative project. A huge amount of work went into developing this project and I want to congratulate him, his teacher Labhras White and the wider school community for receiving this award. The winner of the Science for Development award will travel to the Gambia with Self Help Africa later this year to further develop their project in a real world setting."
The Science for Development award is judged independently. The judges look for evidence of how a project could offer practical improvements in the lives of people in low-income countries.