Young scientists inspire with creative projects at Jugend forscht!

Young scientists inspire with creative projects at Jugend forscht!

On March 9, 2025, a regional competition organized by “Jugend forscht” took place in Bonn, where talented young researchers presented themselves. The University of Bonn organized this competition for the 14th time and welcomed numerous young scientists from the region.

The team from the municipal high school Zum Altenforst in Troisdorf stands out among the award-winning projects. The students Nori Sophie Aurora Dietzel (14), Kati Jovana Rizmanoski (13) and Lukas Christian Grinat (13) investigated whether flour beetle larvae can utilize plastic and won first prize in the biology category of “Jugend forscht Junior”. The innovative approaches to using insects in waste recycling are a promising example of sustainable research.

Outstanding projects and winners

Another shining star of the competition was Leo Bucher (18) and Pola Antonia Kowalski (18) from the University of Bonn. Her project exploring the role of beta-glucan binding protein (GBP) in microorganisms used modern DNA sequencing and was also awarded first prize in the biology category. The scientific standards and creativity of the participants were assessed by Prof. Dr. Annette Scheersoi, Vice Rector for Sustainability at the University of Bonn, highlighted.

Julia Kirchner (11) from the Kardinal-Frings-Gymnasium in Bonn achieved first place in earth and spatial sciences by measuring how a cardboard house with different roof colors warmed up in infrared light. Their discovery that lighter roofs stay cooler highlights the importance of sustainable building practices. Furthermore, Amadeus Nuri Ramin Petram (17) and Mika Matthes (17) from the St. Michael-Gymnasium Bad Münstereifel showed how to develop a portable, battery-powered laser biathlon system for school sports. They also won in the technology category.

Sustainability as a guiding principle

The presentation of the projects took place on the premises of Koblenz University, where around 120 young researchers presented their work. Marcelo Peerenboom from the Mittelrhein Energy Supply (evm) praised the participants' creativity and focus on sustainability. Innovative topics included environmentally friendly alternatives to cling film and the use of insect meal as a food source. Lara Aisha Martin and Marie Diederich from the Martinus-Gymnasium in Linz also took first place in this category.

The competition emphasizes both the scientific and social responsibility of research, which is in line with the initiative for sustainability at universities. The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) supports a culture of innovation for sustainability and promotes concrete solutions at over 35 universities and non-university research institutions. These efforts focus on the development of resource-saving practices and exchange between science and society.

The winners of the regional competition have qualified for the state competition, which will be held from April 8th to 10th at BASF in Ludwigshafen. In addition, the “Jugend forscht junior” competition for younger participants will take place on May 8th and 9th at Boehringer Ingelheim. Marcelo Peerenboom keeps his fingers crossed for the regional winners for the national competition.

For further information about the projects, visit the University of Bonn website: www.uni-bonn.de/jugend-forscht. The innovative strength of young people shows how important it is to work today on solutions to the challenges of tomorrow.