Európska komisia – Tlačová správa
23. ročník súťaže EÚ pre mladých vedcov. A víťazom sa stáva ...
Helsinki 27. september 2011 - Mladí vedci z Írska, Švajčiarska a Litvy dnes v rámci 23. ročníka súťaže Európskej únie pre mladých vedcov vo Fínsku získali najvyššie vyznamenanie. Víťazné vedecké projekty v oblasti informatiky, inžinierstva a medicíny vybrala medzinárodná porota spomedzi 87 projektov z 37 krajín, ktoré súťažiaci predstavili počas 5-dňového podujatia. Na druhom mieste sa umiestnili tímy z Nemecka, Spojeného kráľovstva a Bulharska. Tretiu priečku obsadili tímy z Nórska, Poľska a Spojeného kráľovstva. Mimoriadnu medzinárodnú cenu získal projekt z Nového Zélandu. Víťazi – všetci mladší ako 21 rokov - si medzi sebou rozdelia výhernú sumu vo výške 51 500 EUR.
„Mladí talentovaní výskumníci a výskumníčky pomôžu formovať našu budúcnosť. Musíme nájsť odpovede na najväčšie problémy spoločnosti, teda zmenu klímy, udržateľné zdroje energie, zabezpečenie potravín pre celý svet či boj proti chorobám. Preto by som chcela povzbudiť mladých ľudí, aby sa vydali na cestu vedeckej kariéry a udržali Európu v svetovej špičke v oblasti výskumu a inovácie," vyhlásila európska komisárka pre výskum, inovácie a vedu Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.
Odovzdávanie cien sa konalo v slávnostnej sieni univerzity v Helsinkách. Ceny odovzdal Tapio Kosunen, štátny sekretár fínskeho ministerstva vzdelávania a vedy, Anneli Pauli, zástupkyňa generálneho riaditeľa pre vedu a inováciu, a profesorka Maria Ana Viana-Baptista, predsedníčka poroty.
V starej elektrárni Kattilahalli premenenej na kultúrny stánok sa v uplynulých dňoch predstavilo 130 súťažiacich z 37 krajín z celej Európy i mimo nej a z európskych škôl. Študenti v dňoch 23. – 28. septembra predstavili medzinárodnej porote, ktorej predsedala profesorka Maria Ana Viana-Baptista, celkovo 87 projektov. Tieto projekty už predtým získali prvú cenu v súťažiach v jednotlivých krajinách. Venovali sa rôznym témam z celého spektra vedeckých oblastí, medzi ktorými nechýbala biológia, chémia, informatika, spoločenské vedy, životné prostredie, matematika, materiály, inžinierstvo a medicína. Úroveň prihlásených projektov je už tradične vysoká a niekoľkí bývalí účastníci dosiahli významné vedecké úspechy, prípadne založili spoločnosti na komercializáciu nápadov pôvodne vypracovaných pre súťaž.
Kontext:
Súťaž Európskej únie pre mladých vedcov vznikla na podnet Európskej komisie s cieľom uľahčiť spoluprácu a vzájomnú výmenu názorov medzi mladými vedcami s podobnými schopnosťami a záujmami. Zámerom bolo taktiež vytvoriť príležitosť, aby ich usmerňovali najuznávanejší európski vedci.
Súťaž má povzbudiť mladých ľudí, ktorí sa zaujímajú o vedu, aby si zvolili vedeckú kariéru.
Je súčasťou programu Veda a spoločnosť Siedmeho rámcového programu pre výskum (FP7).
Prvý ročník súťaže sa konal v roku 1989 a zúčastnilo sa ho 15 krajín. Na tohtoročnom už 23. ročníku sa zúčastnilo 37 krajín a jedna z európskych škôl.
Od začiatku tohto medzinárodného podujatia sa súťaže zúčastnilo 2 208 účastníkov (667 dievčat a 1541 chlapcov). Celkovo sa udelilo vyše 500 cien!
Viac informácií o súťaži EÚ pre mladých vedcov spolu s fotogalériou, dosiahnutými úspechmi, biografickými údajmi členov poroty a opisom všetkých prihlásených projektov nájdete na stránke:
http://ec.europa.eu/research/youngscientists/index_en.cfm
Annex 1
PRIZE-WINNERS
23nd European Union Contest for Young Scientists
FIRST PRIZES (€ 7.000 per Project)
Country | Ireland |
Contestant | Alexander Amini (16) |
Scientific Field | Computing |
Project Title | Tennis Sensor Data Analysis: An Automated System for Macro Motion Refinemen |
Short Summary | Sensors capable of capturing audio, video, and inertial data (such as accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers) have become so inexpensive, they are often found in smart phones and even remote control toys. However, it is not easy to correlate the performance of an athlete to the huge volumes of raw data captured by such sensors. In this study, I collected and analyzed gigabytes of tennis sensor data. I discovered a technique for automatically distinguishing between 13 different tennis stroke types (e.g., distinguishing a forehand flat versus forehand topspin) using only inertial data with accuracy averaging over 96%, and implemented my technique as computer software. Previously published research was limited to classes of motion (such as forehand, backhand, serve). My findings are relevant to a wide variety of motion assessment scenarios in sports, physical therapy, and emergency responses. |
Country | Switzerland |
Contestant | Pius Markus Theiler (19) |
Scientific Field | Engineering |
Project Title | pi Cam - The Development of a Camming Device for Climbing |
Short Summary | The project pi Cam describes the development of a revolutionary device for climbing. Camming devices are part of the safety gear used in rock and industrial climbing. They help to create an anchoring point where no preattached bolts exist. The current camming devices are secured in a crack or between two parallel surfaces. The newly invented pi Cam however uses rock protrusions like e.g. flakes, limestone traces or tufa to create anchoring points. Thus, the device enlarges the range of protectable rock formations and increases the safety of the climber. In industrial climbing, too, safety is of the highest priority. On pillars for example pi Cam can provide an anchoring point to workers high above the ground. Obviously pi Cam opens new horizons for climbers in many different situations. It is therefore not surprising that specialists have shown interest in the development and commercial production of this new device and that it has already been applied for patent.*pi=greek small letter. |
Country | Lithuania |
Contestant | Povilas Kavaliauskas (18) |
Scientific Field | Medicine |
Project Title | The Role of Houseflies (Musca domestica) in Spreading Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria |
Short Summary | Antibiotic resistant bacteria are one of the biggest challenges in the 21st century. At this time resistance mechanisms are already understood, however, how bacteria can spread around is still known little. The aim of my study is to investigate how domestic flies can transmit the most common antibiotic resistant bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae from infected areas to residential premises. I discovered that houseflies cannot transmit bacteria distantly; therefore, the highest risk is for people living nearby to contaminated areas such as hospitals. My study shows, that the most contaminated houseflies reside in hospital premises, and when such fly lands on human skin, there is a high probability that the person will be colonized by antibiotic resistant bacteria, which can cause complicated and sometimes fatal infections. |
SECOND PRIZES (€ 5.000 per project)
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title |
Germany | Benjamin Walter | 17 | Physics | Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy of Coronene Molecules on Germanium (111) |
United Kingdom | Natalie Mitchell | 19 | Physics | Auto Focusing Methods for Digital Microscopy |
Bulgaria | Georgi Atanasov | 19 19 16 | Computing | DriveFreeZ - Driving Simulator |
THIRD PRIZES (€ 3.500 per Project)
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title |
Norway | Alex Bergsåker | 17 | Social Sciences | Guanxi – the Significance of Relations and Social Networks in Chinese Business |
Poland | Michal Miskiewicz | 20 | Mathematics | The Charm of the 'mi' Set |
United Kingdom | Holly Rees | 18 | Biology | Investigation into Embryonic Stem Cell Differentiation |
INTERNATIONAL PRIZE (€ 5.000 per project)
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title |
New Zealand | Bailey Lovett | 18 | Environment | Bacterial Bivalves |
HONORARY AWARDS
Stockholm International Youth Science 2011
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title |
Switzerland | Pius Markus Theiler | 19 | Engineering | pi Cam - The Development of a Camming Device for Climbing |
Lithuania | Povilas Kavaliauskas | 18 | Medicine | The Role of Houseflies (Musca domestica) in Spreading Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria |
London International Youth Science Forum 2011
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title |
Switzerland | Pius Markus Theiler | 19 | Engineering | pi Cam - The Development of a Camming Device for Climbing |
Lithuania | Povilas Kavaliauskas | 18 | Medicine | The Role of Houseflies (Musca domestica) in Spreading Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria |
Ireland | Alexander Amini | 16 | Computing | Tennis Sensor Data Analysis: An Automated System for Macro Motion Refinemen |
SPECIAL DONATED PRIZES
There are 25 special donated prizes: a five-day visit of a technical and cultural nature to the
European Patent Office in Munich and a one-week stay at each of the seven members of
EIROforum[1]:
• CERN: The European Laboratory for Particle Physics
• EFDA: The European Fusion Development Agreement
• EMBL: The European Molecular Biology Laboratory
• ESA: The European Space Agency
• ESO: The European Southern Observatory
• ESRF: The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
• ILL: The Institut Laue-Langevin
The European Patent Office, Munich, Germany
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title | ||||
CH | Pius Markus Theiler | 19 | Engineering | Pi Cam - The Development Of A Camming Device For Climbing | ||||
TK |
| Biology | Using Enzymatic Biofuel Cells In Photosynthesis To Produce Electrical Energy | |||||
LT |
| Chemistry | Mushroom Dyes For Tapestry Restoration | |||||
EIROForum Prizes
CERN: The European Laboratory for Particle Physics
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title | ||||||
FR |
| Engineering | Artificial Intelligence And Rubik's Cube | |||||||
EFDA-JET
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title |
EG | Azza Abdel Hamid Faiad | 16 | Environment | Production Of Hydrocarbon Fuel By Catalytic Cracking Of High Density Polyethylene Wastes |
ESA
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title | ||||||
IT |
| Physics | Following Kepler's Path | |||||||
EMBL
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title |
USA | Erica Portnoy | 18 | Biology | A Novel Approach To Mapping Protein Interactions During Pilus Biogenesis By Using In Vivo Photocrosslinking |
ESO
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title |
USA | Jane Cox | 17 | Physics | Using Amino Acid Analysis To Distinguish Chondritic Meteorites |
ILL
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title | ||||
LV |
| Chemistry | The Usage And Properties Of Rigid Foam Polyurethane Material Derived From Tall Oil By Using Cyclopenthane As A Blowing Agent | |||||
ESRF
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title | ||||
SK |
| Physics | Influence Of Magnetic Field On Free-surface Ferrofluid Flow | |||||
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) Prizes
Institute for Health and Consumer Protection (IHCP)
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title | ||||
TK |
| Physics | Analysis Of Optical Activities Of Different Honey Samples With Empirical Methods | |||||
Institute for Protection and Security of the Citizen (IPSC)
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title |
CZ | Bedřich Said | 18 | Computing | Swarm Robotics Simulator |
Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES)
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title |
UK | Martin Richard Thompson | 17 | Engineering | Optical Characterisation & Mechanical Design For Accurate Imaging |
Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements (IRMM)
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title | ||||
DE |
| Chemistry | The New Magic Formula For Eliminating Bad Breath: C42h70o35 | |||||
The Intel ISEF 2012 Prizes
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title | ||||||
IL |
| Engineering | Antileaks - A Device For Detection And Discontinuation Of Leakages In Water Supply Systems | |||||||
MT | Melvin Zammit | 17 | Engineering | 3 Dimensional Display | ||||||
DE |
| Mathematics | (almost) Unit-distance Points In The Polychromatic Plane - Colourings Of The N-dimensional Space | |||||||
Year of Chemistry Prize
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title |
FI | Jarkko Etula | 20 | Chemistry | Comparison of 3 Finnish Berries as Sensitizers in a Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell |
Host Organisation Special Donated Prizes
Orion Special Prize
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title |
CZ | Pavel Svec | 20 | Chemistry | Synthesis And Testing Of Tetramethyl[5]helquat |
The Federation of Finnish Technology Industries Prize
Country | Contestants | Age | Scientific Field | Project Title | ||||
EUSCH |
| Physics | Kite Based Wind Generator | |||||
Kontaktné osoby: Michael Jennings +32 2 29 63388 Monika Wcislo +32 2 29 55604 |
