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Research and innovation
News article17 September 2022LeidenDirectorate-General for Research and Innovation

33rd EU Contest for Young Scientists: and the winner is…

Today, the European Union’s top prizes for young scientists were announced during the EU Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS) award ceremony in Leiden’s Stadsgehoorzaal, following a five-day competition among 132 promising young scientists aged 14 to 20, coming from 33 countries.

  • Aditya Kumar and Aditya Joshi from Ireland for their project A New Method of Solving the Bernoulli Quadrisection Problem
  • Andreas Strommer and Michael Lukas Strudler from Austria for their project Vertical axis wind turbine with integrated centrifugal flaps
  • Meda Surdokaitė from Lithuania for her project Optimization of the Synthesis of the Fluorescent Dye "Nile Red"
  • Konrad Basse Fisker from Denmark for his project Integration of Dsup in Nannochloropsis Oceanica

The second and third prizes went to project from Czechia, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Canada, Greece, Belgium and Poland. A detailed list of all winners is available online here. This year marked a return to a physical edition after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth, said:

Congratulations to all winners of this year’s contest on their outstanding achievements. The last two years have been dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, but they have also taught us the importance of investing in excellent science, research and innovation. Once again, EUCYS celebrates our brightest future scientists and innovators, who are essential in helping us to move forward with confidence in a post-pandemic era. I'm sure you will go on to achieve even greater things!

The students presented 85 different projects to an international jury of 22 highly qualified scientists and engineers with worldwide reputations in their chosen fields. The winners received their awards from the President of the Jury Dr. Mariya Lyubenova, from the European Southern Observatory and from Anna Panagopoulou, Director of the European Research Area and Innovation at the European Commission’s Directorate General for Research and Innovation. The winning projects shared a total of €62 000 in prize money, as well as other prestigious prizes such as visits and short internships to some of the most important and innovative research organisations and companies in Europe.

The participants had all previously won first prizes in their home countries' national science competitions in their specific fields. The projects covered a broad spectrum of scientific areas, including biology, physics, chemistry, computing, social sciences, environment, mathematics, engineering and medicine.

The recovery from the pandemic and the green and digital transitions have further increased the need for science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills in Europe. The contest seeks to promote young people to study STEM and pursue a career in science.

Background

The European Union Contest for Young Scientists was set up by the European Commission in 1989 to encourage co-operation and exchange between young scientists and to give them an opportunity to be guided by some of Europe's most prominent researchers. The number of participating young scientists has grown from 53 in the first competition in 1989 to an average of 150 a year.

Female participation in the contest reflects the broader issue of underrepresentation of women in STEM. This year, 37% of the participants were young women. Next year’s event will be organised in Brussels.

More information

EUCYS website

EUCYS Leiden 2022

 

Press contact

EC Spokesperson for Research, Science and Innovation

Details

Publication date
17 September 2022
Author
Directorate-General for Research and Innovation
Location
Leiden