IP/06/1270
Brussels, 27 September 2006
In the footsteps of Nobel laureates – winners of the 2006 European Union Contest for Young Scientists announced
24 Young people today received a share of the €28500 prize pot awarded at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists. Three projects received €5000 each as first prize was shared by Michael Kaiser and Johannes Kienl of Austria for "Development of a complete new de-ice system for aircraft", Johannes Burkart and Alexander Joos of Germany for "Flight curves of table-tennis balls" and Tomasz Wdowik of Poland for "Synthesis of new potential β blockers". Other prize-winners came from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Norway and Spain. The winners were chosen by the jury from a field of 120 young scientists, aged from 15 to 20 from 33 countries. The ceremony took place in the Winter Garden of the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, which hosted the Nobel Prize ceremony from 1901 to 1929. The winners were chosen by a jury of 15 distinguished scientists headed by Prof Jane Grimson of Trinity College Dublin. Next year’s event will be held at the University of Valencia.
European Science and Research Commissioner Janez Potočnik congratulated the winners saying: “Science knows no boundaries, and that includes age. What we have seen today shows the innovative and questing spirit of our young people. I offer my warmest congratulations to all of you who participated in the Contest and of course, the prize winners. I very much hope that you will all continue to enjoy the thrill of invention and discovery, now and throughout your lives.”
Because of the diversity of disciplines represented at the contest, it was
impossible to determine one overall winner. Therefore three first prizes were
awarded, along with three second prizes and three third prizes. In addition
there were several special prizes: expenses-paid visits to the London International Youth Science Forum
and the Stockholm International Youth Science
Seminar, to the European Patent
Office in Munich and the following members of EIROforum: CERN: The European Laboratory
for Particle Physics, EFDA: The European Fusion Development Agreement, EMBL: The
European Molecular Biology Laboratory, ESRF: The European Synchrotron Radiation
Facility, ESA: The European Space Agency, ESO: The European Southern Observatory
and the ILL: The Institut Laue-Langevin. This year, a Special Donated Prize came
from the Umeå Plant Science Centre in the North of
Sweden, where up to 6 contestants will enjoy a ten-day visit of the centre. A
full list of winners is available on www.eucontest.se
The prizes were
announced at the 27 September ceremony at the Winter Garden of the Grand Hotel
Stockholm. They were awarded by:
- Prof. Jane Grimson of Trinity College Dublin, and Chairman of the selection jury;
- Leif Pagrotsky, Swedish Minister of Education, Research and Culture; and
- Jean-Michel Baer, Director, DG Research., European Commission, representing Commissioner Potočnik.
PRIZE-WINNERS
18th European Union Contest for Young Scientists
Because of the diversity of disciplines represented at the contest, it is impossible to determine one overall winner. So there is not just one first prize but three, along with three second prizes and three third prizes. In addition there are several special prizes: expenses-paid visits to the London International Youth Science Forum and Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar, to the European Patent Office and to EIROForum members.
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FIRST PRIZES (€5 000 per project)
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Country: Austria |
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Michael KAISER Age: 19 City/Region: Muenchendorf School: The Higher Technical School in Eisenstadt (Austria) for Mechanical Engineering focused on Aeronautical Engineering Career intention: Pilot Hobbies: Reading, Dancing, Sail plane flying, engine driven plane flying, going out Johannes KIENL Age: 19 City/Region: Rauchenwarth School: The Higher Technical School in Eisenstadt (Austria) for Mechanical Engineering focused on Aeronautical Engineering Career intention: Pilot Hobbies: reading, gliding a sail plane, going out |
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Field: Engineering
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Project title: Development of a completely new de-ice system for
aircraft
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The advanced de-ice system was planned by Michael Kaiser and Johannes Kienl
in cooperation with two offices of technical engineers.
It can be used to de-ice all important airfoils of aircraft and wind power stations. The device can be attached to an aircraft’s wings, vertical and horizontal stabilizers and the rotors of wind power stations. Expansion of a heated metal layer is used to push the existing ice off the wings of an airplane. So heat and power are only required when ice exists. That’s the biggest difference compared to conventional anti-ice systems. One of these systems -called “Bleed Air System”- has to heat the airfoils constantly and always requires power, when the airplane is in danger zones. The advanced deicing system has advantages in weight, dimensions, efficiency and the power required. |
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Country: Germany |
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Alexander JOOS Age: 19 City/Region: Steinen School: Hans-Thoma-Gymnasium LoerrachCareer intention: Physicist
Hobbies: Basketball, snowboarding, hang out with friends, trombone, athletics Johannes BURKART Age: 20 City/Region: Ruemmingen School: Hans-Thoma-Gymnasium LoerrachCareer intention: Physicist
Hobbies: hang out with friends, ski and football, piano and bass guitar |
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Field: Physics
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Project title: Flight curves of table-tennis balls
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Table-tennis probably is one of the fastest sports in the world for both
players and spectators. How professionals nevertheless manage to place balls
exactly on the edge of the table and how they put pressure on their opponent
with topspins as hard as nails, fascinated J. Burkart and A. Joos. Their project
aims to physically understand and simulate the curve of the flying ball. At the
beginning of their work the young scientists analysed those balls coming out of
a training machine with a computer and found out that even loopings were
possible. Eventually, they compared flight curve experiments and simulated
trajectories and found an excellent agreement. They thereby verified simulation,
made it possible to imitate several real table-tennis situations
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Country: Poland |
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Tomasz WDOWIK Age: 19 City/Region: Rzeszów School: Nicolaus Copernicus High School No. 4 in Rzeszów Career intention: Chemist Hobbies: Chemistry, Music, Traveling |
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Field: Chemistry
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Project title: Synthesis of
1-(7-methoxy-1H-indol-4-yloxy)-3-[2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)ethylamino]propan-2-ol,
potential
β-adrenoreceptor antagonist |
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Heart diseases are the most dangerous killers of humans. One of the methods
of neutralizing these diseases is to treat them with drugs from the family of
β-blockers, the examples of which are propranolol and metoprolol.
In his project Tomek carried out a complex organic chemistry synthesis of a new compound that would probably extend the family of β-blockers with a new efficient drug. Tomek explains how the known β-blockers act and describes the biochemical principles of their action. He presents the process of designing his synthesis and its individual steps. |
SECOND PRIZES (€3 000 per project)
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Germany
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Thomas GIGL
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19
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Earth science
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Radial velocity measurement of spectroscopic binaries
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Poland
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Michal MARCINKOWSKI
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19
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Mathematics
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On a geometric transformation relating the Euler and Nagel lines
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Hungary
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Zoltan TARJANYI
Csaba VASS |
18
19
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Biology
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New diagnostic method to define the errors of the apoptosis program
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THIRD PRIZES (€1 500 per project)
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Bulgaria
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Georgi DYANKOV
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18
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Physics
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A method of measurement of refractive indices, birefringence and thickness
of a thin anisopotropic layer
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Ireland
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Aisling JUDGE
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15
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Biology
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The development and evaluation of a biological food spoilage
indicator
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HONORARY AWARDS
Stockholm International Youth Science Seminar 2006
to attend the
2006 Nobel Prize ceremonies, meet the Nobel Laureates and take part in a series
of other scientific/cultural activities during the week.
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Poland
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Tomasz WDOWIK
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19
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Chemistry
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Synthesis of
1-(7-methoxy-1H-indol-4-yloxy)-3-[2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)ethylamino]propan-2-ol,potential
β-adrenoreceptor antagonist
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Germany
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Johannes BURKART
Alexander JOOS |
20
19
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Physics
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Flight curves of table- tennis balls
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London International Youth Science Forum 2006
To meet young
scientists from around the world and take part in the annual two-week intensive
summer science festival during July-August 2006.
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Poland
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Michal MARCINKOWSKI
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19
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Mathematics
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On a geometric transformation relating the Euler and Nagel lines
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Hungary
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Zoltan TARJANYI
Csaba VASS |
18
19
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Biology
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New diagnostic methods to define the errors of the apoptosis program
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SPECIAL DONATED PRIZES
There are eight 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
A five-day visit of a technical and cultural nature to
the European Patent Office in Munich
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Hungary
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Andras GILYEN
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18
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Computer
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Compass implemented on a mobile phone
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Germany
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Denis MOELLER
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20
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Earth Science
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Climatic differences in the region of Hildesheim
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Austria
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Michael KAISER
Johannes KIENL
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19
19
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Engineering
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Development of a complete new de-ice system for aircraft
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CERN: The European Laboratory for Particle Physics
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Bulgaria
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Georgi DYANKOV
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18
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Physics
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A method of measurement of refractive indices, birefringence and thickness
of a thin anisopotropic layer
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EFDA: The European Fusion Development Agreement
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Norway
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Narges KAYNIA
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19
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Engineering
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Effects of underwater barrier on speeds of Tsunami waves
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EMBL: The European Molecular Biology Laboratory
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Spain
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Gerard Frigola QUINTANA
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19
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Biology
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From 606 to PCR (Paul Ehrlich's legacy) From salvarsan to antibiotics
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ESA: The European Space Agency
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Czech Republic
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Ján ZAHORNADSK
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20
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Computer
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Prisoner's dilemma and self-learning algorithms
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ESO: The European Southern Observatory
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Germany
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Thomas GIGL
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19
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Earth science
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Radial velocity measurement of spectroscopic binaries
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ESRF: The European Synchrotron Radiation Facility
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Spain
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Inigo Barbed MARTIN
Carlos PARDO |
18
19
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Physics
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Design and construction of a webcam spectrophotometer
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ILL: The Institut Laue-Langevin
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Spain
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Inigo Barbed MARTIN
Carlos PARDO |
18
19
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Physics
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Design and construction of a webcam spectrophotometer
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Country
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Name of contestant
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Age
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Field
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Title
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Spain
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Marc Campeny CRENO
Marc Oliva BERNAL |
19
19
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Environment
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Unusual oil Hideout – bottom tar in the Mediterranean sea
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Italy
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Francesca CRISTOFOLI
Alberto MANIAGO Anna Chiara PIRONA |
19
19
19
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Environment
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New strategies for legionella prevention in warm sanitary water
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Czech Republic
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Zuzana TVARUZKOVA
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19
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Botanic
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Use of digital photography for assessment of wheat leaf colour
changes
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[1] EIROforum is collaboration between seven European intergovernmental research organisations. As world leaders within their respective fields of science, the member organisations of the EIROforum constitute the vanguard of European science, enabling European scientists to engage in truly cutting-edge research and be competitive on a global scale.