Prizes - Young Scientists Contest - Press release EU Contest

Prizes

Press release EU Contest

11th European Union Contest for Young Scientists

- Eureka! Re-established in the heat of Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki, 25th September 1999

A hot and hectic week at the Science Exhibition of the 11th European Union Contest for Young Scientists is drawing to a close, and the winners of the EU Science Contest will receive their prizes today, September 25, in the Palace of Kyverneio, Thessaloniki. The three first prizes will be awarded for developing a novel way of encrypting information on the Internet (Ireland), for a thorough study of a distant cluster of hundreds of galaxies (Iceland), and for utilising lichens to devise a systematic method to study urban air pollution (Poland). These projects were chosen from amongst 57 projects presented from over thirty countries. Attending the award ceremony representing Thrace and Macedonia will be Minister Magriotis, and from the Greek Ministries of Development and Culture respectively will be Ministers Venizelos and Papazoi. The European Commission is to be represented by Professor Jorma Routti, Director-General for Research.

Sarah Flannery from Ireland used advanced mathematics to compare two cryptographic systems. Her study proved that there is a new system that is as secure as the one now widely in use, but considerably faster. Sverrir Gudmundsson, Pall Melsted and Tryggvi Thorgeirsson from Iceland demonstrated the great capabilities of modern data processing tools and the Internet in quest of answers to astrophysical questions yet to be solved. Michal Ksiazkiewich from Poland presented a systematical work on development of a methodology for estimation of air pollution in an urban environment using biological indicators, lichens.

The Contest is part of the Improving Human Potential Programme, run by the Research Directorate-General and is the successor to the Training and Mobility of Researchers Programme. Through this Contest the European Commission intends to encourage and highlight young people’s interest in science by inviting them to play an active part in the great research adventure of today.

Science and research increasingly provide the keys to the problems and challenges our societies are facing today, and the global nature of these problems is reflected by the fact that over thirty countries from around the world take part in the Contest. In addition to the EU countries and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, there are guests attending from the United States of America, the Republic of Korea and Japan.

Europe’s strength lies in its youth, and attracting young people to pursue scientific careers is right at the heart of Commissioner Philippe Busquin’s ambitions. The new Research Commissioner says: “This Contest represents exactly what I want to see happening in Europe. All the participants at the European level have accomplished a great deal in having been chosen to represent their respective countries, and the projects cover an exciting range of scientific fields. They demonstrate imagination, persistence and organisation – the essence of what is needed for science and the new generation of scientists to make a real contribution to the Europe of tomorrow.”

An international Jury of fourteen eminent scientists interviewed the contestants and evaluated their projects. The winning projects were chosen from out of the work of some eighty-five contestants. The three first prizes are worth EUR 5000, with the three second prizes being worth EUR 3000 and the three third prizes worth EUR 1500. At the 11th Contest, for the first time, there were special awards for the young scientists to join research teams to work on projects led by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (Ispra, Italy), the European Northern Observatories (Canary Islands), and the Royal Geographical Society (Seychelles).

Says Professor Pedro Guerreiro, President of the Jury: ”Once again, the quality of the projects made the jury’s task difficult but also a very pleasant one. It is very rewarding to be able to share the enthusiasm of these exceptionally talented young people, to understand their motivations, and to observe their intelligence. We were happy to discover that the prize winners come from many different countries, and from a multitude of scientific disciplines. We are certain that the contestants enjoyed meeting like minds from all over Europe. This event has proved itself to be an important springboard in the development of a number of promising scientific careers and it continues to bring the next generation of Europe’s scientific community together.”

The 12th EU Contest for Young Scientists will take place in Amsterdam, the Netherlands 18-24 September, 2000.

For further information, please contact:

Graham Blythe, Piia Huusela

EU Contest for Young Scientists, DG XII Press Officer, DG XII
Tel: + 32 2 295 58 22
Tel: + 32 2 299 21 38
Fax: + 32 2 296 32 70
Fax: + 32 2 295 82 20
E-mail: graham.blythe@ec.europa.eu
E-mail: piia.huusela@ec.europa.eu

For more information on DG XII and previous press releases, visit our Web site at: http://europa.eu/comm/research/

FIRST PRIZES

IE 1
Sarah FLANNERY (17)
Field: Mathematics

Cryptography: A new Algorithm vs. The RSA

In her cryptography project Sarah Flannery compares a new cryptographic system – the so-called Cayley-Purser algorithm – with RSA, a system widely in use for the exchange of secret information. Both systems use advanced mathematics, which Sarah has been shown to master thoroughly. Her work has attracted the attention from first-rate professional cryptographers. Her presentation, both orally and in writing, meets the highest standards.

IS 1
Sverrir GUDMUNDSSON (20)
Pall MELSTED (19)
Tryggvi THORGEIRSSON (20)
Field: Physics

The Galaxy Cluster MS1621+2640

This project, “the Galaxy cluster MS1621+2640” by Sverrir Gudmundsson, Pall Melsted, and Tryggvi Thorgeirsson from Iceland, used two existing data sets to analyze the properties of a galaxy cluster. Their analysis yielded an interesting new finding of a ring-shaped region of overdensity, which they propose could be caused by a gravitational lensing effect. The project members showed excellent understanding of astrophysical data and their analysis methods as well as the underlying astrophysical questions yet to be resolved. Their work demonstrates the great capabilities of the modern data processing tools and the Internet, which bring such scientific work to within reach of everybody interested in investing the time and effort.

PL 2
Michal KSIAZKIEWICZ (19)
Field: Environmental Science

Estimation of Urban Pollution using Epiphytic Lichens

The project: “Estimation of urban air pollution using epiphytic lichens” was awarded a first prize for its important and systematic work on development of a methodology for estimation of air pollution using insight into the epiphytic community of lichens in urban areas. Environmental research of this kind demands clear ideas, good laboratory skills and tremendous amount of work. This project has all these elements and, therefore, reached an outstanding level.

SECOND PRIZES

THIRD PRIZES

HONORARY AWARDS

STOCKHOLM INTERNATIONAL YOUTH SCIENCE FORUM

SPECIAL AWARDS

JOINT RESEARCH CENTRE (ISPRA – ITALY)

EUROPEAN NORTHERN OBSERVATORIES (CANARY ISLANDS)

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY (SEYCHELLES)

alumni prize