Young scientists compete for EU prize in Norway
The 13th EU contest for young scientists, involving 95 scientists between the ages of 15 and 20, will take place in Bergen, Norway from 18 to 20 September. Participants from Europe, the United States, Japan, Korea and South America will present projects ranging from measures to control doping in sport to environmentally friendly washing powders, a hybrid car and a home-diagnosis kit for cancer. The award ceremony will be attended by Achilleas Mitsos, Director General of the Commission's Research DG, five Nobel prize winners and Crown Prince Haakon of Norway. Only projects that have won a top prize in a national young scientist competitions are eligible to take part. The contest, steered by the Research DG, and is intended to help raise public awareness about science and technology in society. Prizes of 5,000, 3,000 and 1,500 euro will be awarded to the top three projects, following a decision by a panel of 12 scientific judges. Some young scientists will also be awarded the chance to work alongside distinguished research scientists on projects organised by the European Northern Observatories in the Canary Islands, the European Space Agency (ESA) in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, and the Norwegian Polar Institute in Spitzbergen. There will also be opportunities to spend a week at the European patent office in Munich, Germany, to participate in the London international youth science forum next year and to attend Nobel prize ceremonies.