Jugend forscht

The Young Scientists competition (short: Jufo ) is the largest European youth competition in science and technology. It was initiated in 1965 by former Star editor in chief Henri Nannen. Organizer of the annual border competition youth is researching the Youth Foundation researches eV, the orientation of the individual regional and state competitions takes place together with the corporate sponsor, the Federal Competition is held annually alternating in the federal corporate sponsor.

Terms and Conditions

Participants can be as an individual or in groups of up to three people up to the age of 21 years. Students may only participate within the first year of study. Those who visit at least the 4th grade and is younger than 15 years, increases in the division students participated experiment, otherwise conducts research in the division youth - for groups the age of the oldest member of the group is crucial. A work can only be registered in the region in which the participants live or are in school or training - for groups of the specified group spokesman is crucial. German students of German schools abroad (eg embassy staff ) and in neighboring countries can also participate, the respective schools and regions are allocated to a particular state competition.

You can register in one of the following seven areas of expertise:

• World of work
• Biology
• Chemistry
• Earth and space sciences
• Mathematics / computer science
• Physics
• Technology

Working with an interdisciplinary character take part in the art that fits you best, but can qualify in addition to winners in the art to the next level on this special area. Participation takes place there again in the subject area. At the regional level, the prize for the best interdisciplinary work will not be awarded. At the state competition is a project of national winners in the art and taking part in the national competition in the actual field, as well as the awarding of the Prize of the Minister of Education for the best interdisciplinary work, which is equivalent to a German victory. It is useful, but not absolutely necessary for the project a supervisor under his teachers - to seek out the support for the project in an advisory capacity - for apprentices under the trainers in operation. In many schools, it also exist Jufo AGs.

The equipment required for the project can be requested in part in youth research, then a group must not bear the full cost of materials themselves. More often it turns out to make more sense, universities and private companies to address it directly. Most universities and companies are highly helpful. Much can but also the school. In some countries there are sponsors pools of businesses and private organizations, provide financial support for youth research participants in the purchase of material.

Competition - sequence and structure

The competition is divided into different stages. For regional competition (also called RW ), each submitted paper admitted that not against the rules. The respective regional winners who will be chosen by a jury, will qualify for the state competition (also called LW ). There, state winners are determined by a jury again, (also called Buwe ) which at the highest level to the national competition may participate.

Each subject area has its own jury, which assessed the work. The jury may shift the work into another field if this is better suited for the job. Not infrequently, especially at the federal level - the written work of participants in research institutes and universities will be forwarded, so that they inspect the work, as level and value of many works only by researchers or professors can be properly assessed, which also itself professionally with the treated subject to deal with.

In the states of Hamburg, Bremen and Schleswig -Holstein accounted for by the year 2009, the level of regional competition, the projects started by then the same at the state level. Since 2009, regional and state competitions are held down to Mecklenburg- Vorpommern and the Saarland in all states!

Participation

In the first year of competition (1966 ) a total of 244 applications were counted ( Young Researchers and students to experiment together). In the record year 2014 there were more than 12,000 entries, with most ( 2,871 ) accounted for Field Biology. Then followed Technology ( 2498 ), Chemistry ( 2205 ), Physics ( 1694 ), the world of work ( 1557 ), math / computer science ( 849 ), and finally Earth and space science ( 624).

Awards, rewards in case of success

Can get the winners sums of money, prizes, internships or excursion trips, which are donated by sponsors in youth research. In experiment students are usually to small amounts of money and prizes.

A prize for the best interdisciplinary work by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft is on the Federal Competition addition to the prices awarded in the fields. There is also the President's prize for the most unusual work, and the price of the Chancellor for the most original work. These three " special prices " have the same status as a federal victory in one of the fields. Some of the winning works will be nominated by the federal jury for the European level for the European Union Contest for Young Scientists ( not limited to the EU). There are also on the national competition, a number of other special awards that are awarded independently. Furthermore, the first prize in the field of mathematics qualified in the national competition to participate in the selection exams in the selection competition for the IMO.

Even if you do not win a prize, worth participating in the national competition (in some countries even during the state competition ) only because of the organized by the corporate sponsor Framework Programme. Also the establishment of contacts among the participants should not be underestimated.

In many states success in youth research can be registered as a particular achievement in writing to the High School certificate. The prerequisites for this depends on the regulations of the individual federal states.

Students experiment

Those who visit at least the fourth grade and on 31 December of the year is less than 15 years, can experiment with students (in short: Schüex ) participate. Schüex panelists quite normal on Young Researchers Competition in part, but are evaluated separately in special student experiment competitions.

A special case is this advancement dar. If a student experiment work so well that the students experiment judges think they could get a prize in youth research, they may, subject to the approval of the Youth Research jurors to participate in Youth research will be upgraded. However, this will only be done when it firstly will bear their respective work and secondly, to ensure that they research on youth is not lost.

Win a high- staged experiment students work it rises to the next level - up to youth research - federal competition - on.

In countries where students experiment at the regional level ends can research for the state competition Youth exceptional Schüex - works, although invited, but there are only issued but was not rated.

Local features

A special position is occupied the state competitions in Mecklenburg- Vorpommern. Since this state has a very small population, currently there is only one country competition in which all Jufo work as well as all Schüex work to attend. Nevertheless, the small state of Bremen has more participants than most other countries. This has meant that the state of Bremen has introduced at the beginning of the competition 2009 round of three regional competitions, participate in that, as already in the state competition, both Jufo all works, as well as all Schüex work.

Also in Saarland there are no regional competitions, the work at the country level rise equal to one. However, the state competition students will experiment, as in Hamburg until 2008, separated in time by the National Youth Competition held research. In Saarland, the winner of the subject areas of students rise to experiment (and possibly an interdisciplinary working ) for Young Scientists - country competition and then take part as the other Jufo work. In all other countries, students experiment is a strictly by Young Scientists separate rail and shall expire at the state, in some countries, at the regional level.

Another special feature of the regional and state competitions in Bremen and Saarland, the jury consultant. As a jury consultant former participants act (preferably regional winner ), who with their experience, even in regard to the national competition to support the jury. As a " bridge link" between judges and participants should give the participants after the competition feedback ( constructive criticism ) and support the regional winners in preparation for the national competition in particular the jury consultant.

The largest of all the regional competitions, the competition of Bremen -Mitte ( the city of Bremen without Bremen -Nord). He is bigger than most of the state competitions and has even more participants than many area countries. The state with the most applications is Bavaria.

Youth Research Foundation eV

Organizer of the annual border competition youth is researching the Youth Foundation researches V. It has no own assets and will therefore research by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and the founder of Youth, the star financed.

To perform the competition, the Foundation relies on corporate sponsors, prize donators and sponsors who organize the competition and also donate the prizes. Chairman of the Board of Trustees, who chairs the Foundation, the Federal Minister of Education and Research.

Network of former participants

The juFORUM eV was founded in 2000 by twelve participants in the national competition of " Young Scientist" who wanted to remain on competition also in contact. The result is a network of young researchers, that now has over 250 members from all corners of Germany counts. Funded the club is by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, as well as other sponsors. The aim of the association is to establish a contact pools, the promotion of innovative ideas and the establishment of contacts between young researchers and science and industry. In addition juFORUM eV to awaken the scientific interest in young people. About all actions of the club informed on its Internet platform; Members also have the opportunity to keep in touch. In addition, the club magazine is published at regular intervals " gear ".

In addition to an annual conference many other events are held throughout the year, including the juFORUM Autumn Academy, as well as many other seminars, field trips and workshops.

There are also international contacts About the club also. Among other things, the juFORUM organized eV the European Science Day for Youth ( ESDY ) in Germany, in cooperation with MILSET Europe, in which children and young people across Europe closer with simple scientific means, themed, science and technology should be.

( Hungarian forskare Förbundet, FUF ) Also on MILSET and in cooperation with the Swedish sister organization, the juFORUM organized eV in 2007, the International Summer Science Camp ( ISSC ) in Darmstadt, with participants from 10 nations. Also in the summer of 2009 was a ISSC in Germany, this time in Munich, organized by juFORUM.

On 1 January 2009 juFORUM eV in the German young researchers network has risen. The new club called since German young researchers network - juFORUM eV

Documentation

The Youth Foundation research documents the winner / participant in the national competition in a database with a summary and some with a photo of the participants.

Since 2006, the JufoBase database was developed with further information on the projects together with the technical information center Karlsruhe. The operation was discontinued at the end of 2013.

The Federal Competition 2010 was a VideoLog, created by journalism students at the Institute of Journalism in Dortmund, extensively documented. The films were set on youtube.

Similar contests in other countries

• Swiss Youth Research
• Fair of the Masters of Tomorrow ( DDR)
• Science Fair ( English -speaking )