Competition piques interest in science and technology
There is a clear political desire to strengthen mathematics, science and technology subjects within education and research in Sweden. The University of Gothenburg is collaborating in a number of different ways to do its part – join us for the semi-finals of the Young Scientists exhibition at Natrium.
IT’S JUST BEFORE nine o’clock on a Thursday morning in March, and there’s a buzz of anticipation in one of Natrium’s largest classrooms. Nervous exhibitors at myriad booths put the finishing touches to their presentations. It’s time for the semi-finals of the Young Scientists exhibition competition, in which students have their upper secondary school work scrutinised by a jury of researchers from the University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology. The prize is a place in the national final, a number of scholarships and – of course – the opportunity to showcase their research.
“You are the future, and after having seen all your presentations, I can only say that the future looks bright,” says jury chair Heléne Aronsson before anyone knows who has progressed to the final.
Young Scientists is a non-profit youth organisation that works to ensure that curiosity and interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics occupy a natural place in young people’s lives. A key element is the Young Scientists exhibition, at which upper secondary students compete with their school work. Often, it is dedicated teachers who tell their science-minded students about the competition and coach them towards submitting an entry.
AT THE SEMI-FINALS in Gothenburg, there is a wide range among the 29 entries. One stand demonstrates an exoskeleton that is easier to use than current aids, another investigates how the amount of bacteria growing on a mobile phone case depends on the material it is made from, while a third stand shows an analysis tool for counting the number of sunspots.
But it’s not just the research and the findings that are the focus of the exhibition. The presentation at the stand is also important. Some exhibitors put a lot of effort into designing the classic research poster, while others have lots of props to illustrate what their research is about. For example, there are three students from Jönköping presenting a chemical method to secure fingerprints during crime scene investigations. At their stand, visitors can leave their own fingerprints and try the classic method of using powder and a brush to reveal them.
HAVING THE KNACK of talking also makes it easier to communicate research findings. At her stand, Julia Klockerud describes very pedagogically how algae can work as an alternative fertiliser when growing peas. Photographs show how well the peas grow compared to conventional fertiliser – the difference is not huge. She has also brought a couple of bags of sugar snap peas from the supermarket to show what she has grown.
“Algae is a more environmentally friendly and resource-efficient fertiliser than today’s fertilisers,” enthuses Julia.
Her research earned her one of the eight places in the Swedish final, much to her surprise and delight.
“I’ve always been interested in science!” she says. “When I was little, my mum bought me books about space and now I’m aiming to study physics because I’m still drawn to astronomy.”
Julia’s answer must be music to the ears of the Swedish Government. In February, Minister for Education Johan Pehrsson presented a new STEM* strategy to strengthen education in mathematics, science and technology in Sweden. The aim is that more people will choose upper secondary programmes within the sector, and that the number of full-time equivalent students in higher education will increase by 10,000 to at least 90,000 within science and technology by 2035. And if this is to be done by choice, interest in the subjects must increase. The Young Scientists exhibition can be one way to achieve this, but interest is usually piqued earlier on, as was the case with Julia.
T THE STAND OPPOSITE Julia are Lucas Mårts and Axel Wettersten, who have investigated how bacteria grow on chopping boards made from different materials. Their research shows that wooden chopping boards are more hygienic than plastic boards. They credit their secondary school teachers with their presence today in the semi-finals.
“Yes, I had great teachers in the science subjects, and my studies also went well,” says Lucas. “It’s important to have committed teachers to capture people’s interest.”
“I have engineers in my family, and that probably also played a role in the direction I chose at school,” says Axel.
Alice Linnarsson and Freja Hildingsson also have parents who have trained as scientists, and they think that primary and lower-secondary school teachers are the most important.
“Teaching is very important in order to stimulate interest,” says Freja. “It was my teacher showing us things with experiments that gave me a practical understanding of the science subjects at secondary school.”
“And it mustn’t get too difficult, too soon. That can scare people off.”
Their research into whether mosquitoes prefer to bite people with a particular blood group did not earn them a place in the final, but Alice and Freja now have proof that B+ is the blood group to have when the mosquitoes swarm in the summer.
Text: Olof Lönnehed
Photo: Malin Arnesson
* STEM: Science, technology, engineering and maths.
WHAT: Semi-finals of the Young Scientists exhibition competition.
WHEN: 6 March at Natrium on Medicinareberget.
WHY: An activity designed to stimulate and raise awareness of mathematics, science and technology among young people.