Top prize for glucose-based polyester: "Schüler experimentieren" at the University of Kassel

Niklas Volodin (13) from the Bundespräsident-Theodor-Heuss-Schule in Homberg (Efze) received the main prize in the competition for the best creative work as well as the state prize in the chemistry discipline. He came up with an alternative to environmentally harmful plastics that is also cheaper than many conventional plastics: polyester based on glucose from dextrose (and simple dicarboxylic acids). The "best creative work" award is endowed with 300 euros and is sponsored by the Hessian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs.

The teams were also awarded the state prize in their respective disciplines:

World of work: "A house made of paper - the house of the future", Nala Holleitner (11) and Niklas Pletz (10), Rheingauschule Geisenheim.

Biology: "Fertilizer or weed killer?" Julian Wege (11), without school affiliation.

Earth and space sciences: "Nitrate around Marburg: Everything in the green?!", Fenja Kröpelin (14), Mia Luana Mocigemba (13), Johanna Luisa Salb (14) Elisabethschule, Marburg.

Mathematics/computer science: "Winning strategies in Tic Tac Toe," Emma Schimpf (11), Anna Neundörfer (11) Helena Aurelia Reuther (10), Liebfrauenschule Bensheim.

Physics: "Interference of electromagnetic radiation," Samuel Eric James Balog (12), Karl Popper School, Frankfurt am Main.

Technology: "Solar cell optimization for my house," Mattis Schwalb (12), Weidig School, Butzbach Schwalb and "Device for measuring body tremor: experiment and Fischertechnik model," Liang Kuenzler (10), without school affiliation.

They will receive prize money of 150 euros each.

The prize for the best interdisciplinary project was awarded to the work "How tear-resistant are adhesives from nature?" by Anna-Lena Griesler (11) Maya Fischer (11) and Marlene Katharina Wagner (12) from the Steinmühle - Schule & boarding school in Marburg.

"Jugend forscht" and "Schüler experimentieren" are the best-known German competitions for young scientists in the field of engineering and natural sciences. Schüler experimentieren is the junior division of the Jugend forscht competition and is thus open to students under 15 years of age from the fourth grade onwards. For the state competition, the participants worked on scientific or technical questions of their own choice, which they first presented to the jury in a written paper. At the event, the young researchers then had the opportunity to present their results to a wider audience. In addition to the first-place winners, second- and third-place teams also received prize money. Numerous special prizes were also awarded.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Axel Bangert, Head of the Microwave Electronics Department at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering/Computer Science, emphasizes the University of Kassel's commitment to promoting young talent in the STEM field: "Promoting committed young talent from an early age is essential for the future of development and research. The 'Schüler experimentieren' format is an important contribution to this. I am therefore immensely pleased that once again this year many young people have taken the opportunity to pursue a wide variety of questions with courage and scientific zeal."

Eva Katharina Kretzer, state competition director of "Schüler experimentieren" at Jugend forscht, was delighted with the multi-faceted nature of the work submitted: "I was deeply impressed by the broad spectrum of projects on show. The students brought their diverse interests and different lifestyles to bear and presented their results in a sophisticated and expert manner."

The competition was generously supported by the sponsoring organization cdw Stiftung gGmbH and the sponsoring company Hübner GmbH & Co. KG.

Press contact:

Sebastian Mense
University of Kassel
Communications, Press and Public Relations
Tel.: +49 561 804-1961
E-mail: presse[at]uni-kassel[dot]de
www.uni-kassel.de