Brussels, 07/10/2004 (Agence Europe) - Projects involve the manufacture of "micros-systems", scanners and ultra-sound detectors for gas-liquid chromatography, which won the three first prizes on 29 September in Dublin at the 16th European Union competition for Young Scientists. Winners came from Austria, Denmark and Germany. The second and third prizes went to competitors from (Turkey, Poland and Lithuania) and whose projects focused on areas such as information technology, biology, the environment, mathematics and physics.
From 25 to 29 September 2004, some of the most promising young scientists in Europe competed for nine prizes worth a total value of EUR 28 500 in the European Union "Science and Society" Programme. Prizes were awarded by Achilleas Mitsos, Director General at Research at the European Commission during a ceremony chaired by Mary Harney, vice-prime minister of Ireland (responsible for enterprise, trade and employment), at St Patrick's Hall, Dublin Castle. Prize-winners were selected by an international jury of 15 experts. Competitors were aged between 15 and 20 and came from 34 countries in Europe, as well as China and the USA. 73 projects that had won national competitions were submitted, which covered a whole range of scientific disciplines. They also had the chance to meet Nobel prize-winners Sir Harry Kroto and Professor Erwin Neher.