How curiosity leads to science

The European Contest for Young Scientists

Every year, the EU celebrates its best young scientific talent at the EU Contest for Young Scientists. This year the EU Contest for Young Scientists is hosted by the National Museum of Science and Technology in Stockholm. The event will gather promising young scientists from all over Europe and beyond in a competition that every year culminates in astonishing inventions and creative ways of using science in every day life.

Now into its 18th year, this high profile event is open to young people aged between 14 and 21 years old, who are the winners of national competition. This way, the Contest gives these students the opportunity to compete with the best of their contemporaries at European level.
While demand for scientists and researchers is rising, the number of young people taking up scientific studies and careers is dipping. The organisation of this kind of events that mobilise young people from all over Europe and beyond is thus more important than ever.
The Contest also gives Europe’s best young scientific brains a forum to display their wares and connect with other like-minded youth from other countries. It so aims to reward scientific achievement and to demonstrate to a wider audience that science is fun.
Besides being an occasion for nurturing talent and enhancing young people’s scientific and technological skills, it is also an opportunity for these young scientists to meet other youngsters with similar abilities and interests, but from a different country, perhaps speaking another language, and to be guided by some of the most prominent scientists in Europe.
The 2005 contest – the 17th – took place in Moscow, Russia, from 17 to 22 September. Under the slogan ‘with bright minds to the bright future’, the 2005 event brought together young scientists from 39 countries, including Japan, China and the USA. The packed contest featured some 126 young people, exhibiting 79 innovative projects.
The 18th edition will take place in Stockholm, Sweden, from 23-28 September 2006 and will be hosted by the National Museum of Science and Technology.
More information: http://ec.europa.eu/research/youngscientists/index2.htm