Youth researches: Creative minds show innovations in exciting competition!

Youth researches: Creative minds show innovations in exciting competition!

On March 28, 2025, a remarkable event took place in Kiel as part of the “Jugend forscht” competition, where 28 student teams presented their innovative projects. The competition was aimed at two age groups: juniors up to 14 years old and older participants aged 15 and over, who had the chance to qualify for the national final in Hamburg, which will take place from May 29th. The goal is to win the state in the respective subject areas and to present your own research ideas to a broader audience. uni-kiel.de reports that the competition took place in seven subject areas: the world of work, biology, chemistry, earth and spatial sciences, mathematics/computer science, physics and technology.

Among the award-winning projects, the one by Klaas Jacobsen stands out, who won first prize in the field of biology when he was just 13 years old. His project focused on the use of beeswax as a repellent against ship mussels. Through precise experiments, Klaas was able to prove that wood treated with beeswax is not affected. In his experiment, he exposed wooden blocks to the fjord for several months, while CT scans showed that only the untreated wood showed any damage. Dr. Pamela Fleischmann, the national sponsor of the competition, praised the expertise and creativity of the participants in her thank you speech.

Innovative ideas and technical solutions

Another remarkable project was presented by 14-year-olds Hanna Günther and Emma Jürgens, who received first prize in the field of work for their “intelligent school backpack”. Their concept includes an indicator light that indicates when the weight of the backpack exceeds a set limit. With the help of strain gauges, reaching this limit is automatically signaled.

The technology department awarded Philipp Grieffenhagen and Christoph von Rodbertus second place for their AI-supported system, which is designed to locate and make drones invisible. Their development makes it possible to distinguish between drones and other flying objects and also envisages the development of a coilgun system to “capture” suspicious drones. The two students have already made plans to found their own start-up after graduating from high school.

Around 150 participants and guests took part in the awards ceremony in the Institute of Computer Science, where the winners were announced. The “Jugend forscht” competition is one of a series of school and youth competitions in Germany that attract more than 900,000 children and young people every year. These competitions not only promote discovery and learning, but also the thirst for knowledge and the commitment of young talents. This initiative is supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, which actively promotes it in order to discover and support young talent in various areas. bmbf.de

In order to promote the participants' diversity and thirst for knowledge, “Jugend forscht” covers numerous subject areas, which enables young people to work with commitment on their own ideas and develop creative solutions. The competition therefore offers a valuable platform for the personal and professional development of young people in Germany. Jochen M. von jugend-forscht.de highlights that participation in such competitions can not only expand knowledge, but also promote friendships and career opportunities.