In the frame of the very first MINT student competition held by the University of Bremen in cooperation with the Hans Riegel Foundation, 30 teams from upper secondary school in Bremen submitted their project work in the subjects of biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics. The prizewinners were selected by jury of scientists from the University. The attractive Dr. Ing. Hans Riegel prizes were awarded at a ceremonial event that took place on the campus in the rotunda of the Cartesium building.
Still free capacity
“We have a keen interest in recruiting talented early career researchers,” said Professor Thomas Hoffmeister, Vice-President Academics. The University of Bremen still has free capacity in the MINT disciplines (mathematics, computer science, natural sciences, engineering). “So we could take on more students willing to study one of these subjects. The University welcomes the opportunity presented by the Dr. med. Hans Riegel to approach young talents at an early age”.
Teams from all over town
The award-winning teams came from all over the city: from the Alte Gymnasium, the Kippenberg-Gymnasium, the Alexander-von-Humboldt-Gymnasium, the Gymnasium at the Hamburger Straße, the school center Walle and the high schools Findorff and Ronzelenstraße. The jury underlined how impressed they were by the extremely demanding themes of the project work. The topics ranged from atmospheric physics to fractal geometry in nature and the question: “Can bamboo replace steel in scaffolding?”.
Special prize for interdisciplinary work
For example, three students from the Walle School Center wrote and illustrated a touching children's book about Huntington's disease, linked their personal consternation with work of high biological accuracy. The jury awarded a special prize to the team from the Hermann-Böse-Gymnasium for their interdisciplinary “Analysis of the statistically significant cancer incidence rate in the district of Rothenburg (Wümme) with reference to the possible health risk factor attached to the extraction of natural gas”.
Praise for teamwork
Professor Ingeborg Henzler, a member of the foundation’s board of trustees, emphasized in her speech that she had never before seen so many female laureates at a prizewinning ceremony. She also remarked on the high level of collaboration shown by the teams, which is also unique to Bremen.
