Report

Teaser, summary, work performed and final results

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EUCYS 2014 (European Union Contest for Young Scientists 2014)

Teaser

Description of the achieved goals and results of the ProjectThe International Finals of the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS 2014) united many institutions, organizations and people, representing different backgrounds, including: educational, scientific and...

Summary

Description of the achieved goals and results of the Project

The International Finals of the European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS 2014) united many institutions, organizations and people, representing different backgrounds, including: educational, scientific and business, of local, Polish nationwide, and international reach. The contest, with its main arena at the University of Warsaw Library, gathered 200 direct participants, including finalists, National Organizers and national teams’ supervisors, as well as hundreds of people visiting the contest zone and taking part in the accompanying events. Except from five obligatory sessions of interviews with the judges, within EUCYS 2014 there were events of scientific, but also integrative and cultural nature, addressed to direct participants of the project, guests, and participants of the partnering events. On the initiative of the Organizing Committee, the City Hall of the Capital City of Warsaw decorated the neighbourhood of the Main Campus of the University of Warsaw, Piłsudski Sq., Karowa and Dobra St. with flags of Warsaw and of the European Union.

The aim of the Contest was to make it possible for young scientists from European countries (also not belonging to the European Union) and some countries from outside Europe (Canada, China, New Zealand, South Korea, the Unites States) to present their research achievements not only in front of an international jury, but also their peers, representatives of numerous European institutions and a wide audience. 84 contest stands, where the finalists presented their works (in 10 science disciplines) were placed in the catalogue hall of the University of Warsaw Library, which for nearly a week during EUCYS 2014 was out of its usual use; this had no precedent in the 15 years of the building’s history and clearly shows the importance of the Contest and its meaning for developing the intellectual potential of Poland. Other Library rooms were used among others as the jury room, lecture hall, meeting room for the National Organizers, press office, European Commission representatives’ office. In the passage between the entrances, a zone was prepared where all the co-organizers and EUCYS 2014 partners had their stands. The University of Warsaw Library building was decorated on the inside and outside with banners, flags and other elements of visual identification.

Except from scientific rivalry, an equally important goal of the Contest is to encourage young people to pursue their interests and to begin a career in science. Therefore representatives of European science institutions, i.e. EPO – European Patent Office, CERN – European Organization for Nuclear Research, EFDA JET – European Fusion Development Agreement, EMBL – European Molecular Biology Laboratory, cooperate permanently with EUCYS. Organizers of Intel ISEF, the biggest pre-college research projects fair that takes place every year in the USA, are regular guests at EUCYS. Study visits, research internships at the mentioned institutions and three accreditations to participate in Intel ISEF are special prizes at EUCYS.

Related event, organized in full cooperation with EUCYS was 2014 STEM Educator Academy; a conference organized by Intel and European SchoolNet. The conference gathered nearly 200 representatives of ministries, public institutions, NGOs and foundations, working in the field of education in the countries of Central Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Educator Academy is a cyclic conference (organized each year in the USA by the Intel ISEF and every second year in Europe, during EUCYS), serving the exchange of experience in terms of pupils’ stimulation programs, supporting highly talented pupils and promoting scientific interests. In 2014, in Warsaw an additional topic was the recapitulation of the Ingenious project – European Coordinating Body in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education, carried out as part

Work performed

EUCYS 2014 - Activities carried out within the scope of the Project

21.02.2014-28.02.2015
Organization and running of the EUCYS 2014 Organizational Secretariat
Rooms in Harenda Hotel (2/4 Krakowskie Przedmieście St), in the direct vicinity of the Main Campus of the University of Warsaw were rented for the needs of the project. The Organizational Secretariat employed at different times from 2-4 people.

01.03.2014-30.07.2014
Developing the program of the International Finals of the 26th Contest for Young Scientists held on 19th-24th September 2014.
EUCYS 2014 program was developed by the Organizing Committee, based on the European Commission’s guidelines included in the Guidelines on the Organization of the European Union Contests for Young Scientists document, in cooperation with the EC representatives and local organizational partners. While preparing the program and choosing the location of each event, the Committee was guided by its concern to ensure the best possible conditions of conducting the Contest: the presentation of scientific projects, the work of the Jury and other people involved in the event, providing a variety of accompanying events which focused on the popularization of science, the integration of participants and cultural events.

21.02.2014-30.06.2014
Appointing the Organizing, Steering and Honorary Committee which include the representatives of the EUCYS 2014 organizers and partners, as well as the representatives of the government and science and education related institutions.

01.06.2014-29.08.2014
Selection of hotels providing accommodation services for the EUCYS 2014 participants; as a result of a tender procedure, the following hotels were selected: Sofitel Victoria (finalists, National Organizers, journalists) and Bristol (jury members, special guests).

01.07.2014-15.09.2014
Production of informational and promotional materials
The following materials were printed and produced (all texts in English) for the purposes of the EUCYS 2014 participants, media and guests of the event.
The choice of projects’ executors and production orders was made based on the knowledge of the market and a series of letters of inquiry and offer:
1. www.eucys2014.pl web page design
2. Graphic design of the contest zone at the Warsaw University Library
3. Posters and information leaflets, accompanying the volunteer recruitment
4. EUCYS 2014 informational posters
5. Advertising boards displayed on public space media and Koleje Mazowieckie trains
6. Invitations for the Opening Ceremony, Awards Ceremony, Farewell Dinner and Party
7. Programs of the Welcome event in Czersk and the Awards Ceremony
8. EUCYS 2014 catalogues
9. Information leaflet on the activity of the National Children’s Fund
10. Pocket guides
11. University of Warsaw magazine: special issue ”Welcome 2 UW” (material preparation, typesetting and printing – University of Warsaw Press Office)
12. IDs for the participants, organizers and guests
13. T-shirts for participants and organizers (including volunteers)
Souvenirs fort the participants and organizers (including: backpacks, notebooks, umbrellas, luggage tags, pens, headphones, digital sport cameras, stress balls, wooden logical toys, power banks).

01.04.2014-30.10.2014
Production of video materials
For the purposes of the event’s promotion, as well as to be used by the EUCYS 2014 co-organizers and partners, the following video materials were prepared. The contractor was chosen based on a tender procedure or on letters of inquiry and offer, considering the price, but also the experience in the production of similar materials and the recommendations of the event’s co-organizers.
Films and clips produced based on own materials of co-organizers and shots taken specifically for the EUCYS purposes:
1. EUCYS 2014 promotional clip
2. Materials on three Polish finalists of EUCYS 2014 (3 videoclips)
3. Information clips on EUCYS and the activity of the Contest’s co-organizers: the European Commissi

Final results

Project’s biggest achievements:
1. Creating conditions for the Contest’s finalists, volunteers and audience to get to know each other, exchange scientific and life experience. The organizers wanted the finalists and other groups of participants of EUCYS 2014 to have the opportunity to integrate in a less formal and scientific atmosphere, favouring becoming acquainted with the history and everyday customs of Poland - for those purposes were arranged: the welcoming and integrative evening in the ruins of the Castle in Czersk (September, 19th), special evening at the Copernicus Science Centre (September, 21st) and Farewell Dinner and Party at the Business Club of the National Stadium (September, 23rd).

119 of EUCYS 2014 finalists (44 girls and 75 boys) presented 84 research projects, prepared individually or in teams of 2-3. The works were divided into 10 scientific disciplines: biology (10 projects), chemistry (5), computing (8), engineering (13), environment (7), materials (1), mathematics (12), medicine (5), physics 16), social sciences (7). All of the projects were created before their authors finished their education on the secondary school level. According to the EUCYS rules, during the contest the authors cannot have completed more than one year of studies.

National Organizers or/and escorts help the finalists to prepare for the presentation in front of the international jury. During the International Finals of the Contest, experiences concerning the organization of local contests and international finals are exchanged; educational systems and the functioning of programs supporting the highly talented youth are also compared. The National Organizers, being (depending on the country) the representatives of ministries of education, institutions of higher education, NGOs and the representatives of the European Commission (i.e. Directorate-General for Research, Innovation and Science) participate in the discussions.

The contest zone was visited by President Lech Wałęsa, the 1983 Peace Nobel Prize laureate. The former president of the Republic of Poland became acquainted with some finalist projects, he was also the guest of honour at the EUCYS 2014 Awards Ceremony that took place on the 23rd of September in Auditorium Maximum of the University of Warsaw. The visit of the illustrious guest was of great interest of the youth and for the participants from outside of Poland, a great reason to get to know the recent Polish history better.

2. Promoting the out-of-school competence development and interests in all kinds of science among the youth, as well as creating a positive and valued image of a scientist.

It is a EUCYS tradition that the Contest’s participants should have the possibility to meet and talk to renowned authorities of the world of science, including Nobel laureates. An invitation to visit the Finals in Warsaw was accepted by Prof. Robert Huber, a chemist from the Max Planck Institute in Munich, who received the Nobel Prize in 1988 for determination of the three-dimensional structure of a photosynthetic reaction centre in bacteria (together with Johann Deisenhofer and Hartmut Michel). Prof. Huber was also guest at the ceremony of presenting diplomas to the laureates of the Mistrz contest for professorial subsidies, organized by the Foundation for Polish Science. The gala (at which Prof. Huber gave his lecture addressed to the young scientists) was one of the events accompanying EUCYS 2014, open for the wide audience. The ceremony organized on the 22nd September in Auditorium Maximum of the University of Warsaw gathered 500 people, including representatives of Polish science and a numerous group of lower-secondary and secondary schools’ pupils.

EUCYS 2014 finals demonstrated and made clear that time and energy contributed to developing interests brings a lot of satisfaction, recognition and occasionally measurable success. The achievements of young scientists were an example for the audience of realizin

Website & more info

More info: http://eucys2014.pl/.