Youth researches: Creative minds inspire in Regensburg!

Youth researches: Creative minds inspire in Regensburg!

The regional competition of “Jugend forscht” took place at the University of Regensburg on February 20th and 21st, 2025. Under the motto “Turn questions into answers,” over 50 students from Eastern Bavaria presented their creative projects in the Faculty of Physics. The variety of topics ranged from environmentally friendly solutions to innovative technologies, demonstrating the impressive creativity of the participants.

The outstanding projects included a compostable car, an innovative feeding area for chickens and a washing system for wheelchair tires. Another notable project was the use of duckweed for sustainable food security and the development of an environmentally friendly detergent. This diversity reflected the commitment and desire for research of the participating students.

Award ceremony and outlook

The awards ceremony took place on the second day of the event, which was open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The winning projects were recognized on this occasion. First place in the mathematics/computer science category went to Leonie Weiss for her project on “Optimization of construction site traffic lights through AI-based control and object recognition”. In the technology category, Federico Haiberger and Alexander Hutchinson Riquelme were able to impress with a “recycling system for coffee powder”.

Other first-place projects were:

• Emilio Weber (Joseph-von-Fraunhofer-Gymnasium Cham) in der Kategorie „Arbeitswelt“ mit einer „Treppenrampe“.
• Christian Hager und Benjamin Rinck (Schiller-Gymnasium Hof) in der Kategorie „Chemie“ für ihre „Untersuchung der Eigenschaften von Kohlenstoffquantenpunkten“.

A special prize for the most beautiful stand and second place in the biology category went to Janne Piendl (Pindl Private High School) for her project on “climate-resistant plants”. Entertainment during the award ceremony was provided by juggling world champion Thomas Dietz and a music trio, who provided the event with musical and artistic support.

Science as a future factor

Prof. Dr. In her speech, Susanne Leist, Vice President of the University of Regensburg, highlighted the immense importance of science and research for our society. Under its patronage, the university has been supporting the regional competition “Jugend forscht” since 2020, which further strengthens the exchange between science and school education.

The winners of the event qualified for the next competitions. The Bavarian state competition will take place on April 10th and 11th, 2025 in Regensburg for the “Jugend forscht junior” category and from April 2nd to 4th, 2025 in Klingenberg for the general “Jugend forscht” category. Dr. Stephan Giglberger, MINT representative at the University of Regensburg, praised the great commitment and creativity of the young people, which was once again impressively demonstrated in this competition.

Further information about “Jugend forscht” and the events can be found on the website Youth research and the Participation to find.