Many happy young researchers, two extremely satisfied sponsor companies and numerous enthusiastic guests: Yesterday afternoon, the 20th Lower Saxony state competition "Jugend forscht/Schüler experimentieren" came to an end with a wonderful ceremony at PS.SPEICHER in Einbeck. After two intensive days in which the 71 young researchers presented and explained their innovative scientific projects several times to the members of an interdisciplinary jury, the winners were finally announced today. First, second and third prizes were awarded in almost all seven subject areas (working environment, biology, chemistry, earth and space sciences, mathematics/computer science, physics and technology), as well as numerous special prizes.
Valentina Holle, the state competition director responsible for the proper organisation of the popular competition, emphasised with regard to all participants: "You competed against each other here in Einbeck after winning a total of eight regional competitions with almost 273 projects in the Schüler experimentieren age category. Congratulations, you are all winners".
Before the award ceremony, Stephan Krings, Head of Global Marketing & Communications at KWS, and Lothar Meyer-Mertel, Managing Director of PS.SPEICHER, briefly took the guests of the ceremony back in time: to the year 1894, when the important scientist Albert Einstein, then aged five, was given a compass and realised that the compass needle always pointed to magnetic north. A formative event that made the little boy realise that there must be something deeply hidden behind things. "Perhaps this little anecdote will be an incentive for you. Keep being curious and don't be satisfied with the world as it is," wished Lothar Meyer-Mertel. As a memento of their participation in the state competition, all the young researchers were presented with a small compass.
Stephan Krings commented approvingly: "The entries being honoured here today have once again increased in substance and inventiveness compared to last year. I am delighted with the high standard of the entries". Thomas Ehrhardt, Head of Research at KWS, also took to the stage as an interview partner. He, too, was impressed by the wealth of ideas and pioneering spirit of the young scientists expressed in the projects. Perhaps we will see one or two of them again at KWS, he remarked with a wink.
For the young researchers aged between nine and 15, the competition ends with their participation in Einbeck. The older participants in Jugend forscht (up to the age of 21) already presented their projects in Clausthal-Zellerfeld a few weeks ago. The winners there will go on to the national final in Bremen from 18 to 21 May 2023.
Further information on the "Jugend forscht" competition is available online at www.jugend-forscht.de
