Articles: The first ESSS in Alicante; A sense of achievement, 2006; Introduction 2007; Past Winners; Writing your project; Guidelines for presentations at the ESSS.

Alicante, 2004: Bergen Participants; Bergen Abstracts; Results; Photos - Richard Broadbent the senior oral prize winner; Photo of the Bergen Participants (SCRAP FILES)

Frankfurt, 2005: Frankfurt Photos; Bergen Participants; Results

Karlsruhe/Heidelberg, 2006: Bergen Participants; Results; Senior Orals 1st Prize Paper; 1st Prize summary;

Brussels, 2007: Bergen Participants; Senior Orals1st Prize Paper; Bergen Written Projects; Results; Photos from the folder

The EUCYS: Introduction; Representatives; Photos

The European Schools Science Symposium (ESSS) is a science contest designed to promote the high level of practical science research being produced by pupils in our schools. Each year about 180 pupils meet to present their work to fellow pupils and a group of highly qualified, practising research scientists who are there to judge the projects. The symposium has three levels of competition: the junior science fair (years 2 and 3), the senior posters (years 4 – 7) and the senior orals (years 4 – 7). The winner of the highest level contest, the senior orals, always represents the European Schools at the prestigious European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS).

Despite competing against many students at university level, our pupils and their projects have always been highly regarded by the EUCYS juries and by all of the participants, and we have so far managed to pick up one prize.

The ESSS is essentially a science contest and pupils from the European Schools have competed successfully for more than 20 years at the ESSS and its predecessor, the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS). Four years ago we decided to concentrate on our own symposium and thus the ESSS was formed at the first meeting in Alicante. Since then we have had 3 more highly successful symposia in Frankfurt, Karlsruhe and Brussels, each of which produced a varied programme of events and its own particular atmosphere.

Each symposium is organised by a teacher, or a group of teachers, who put together the whole programme lasting up to 4 days and who are responsible for finding all of the finances, venues etc. It is an amazing organisation and a credit to the teachers involved that we produce such a high quality product. The event could not occur without the support and dedication of science teachers in our schools. Nor could it survive without the support of the directors of our schools ably assisted by our science Inspectors.

What do pupils gain from the symposium? A vast amount and much of it is cross curricular work going on throughout the whole process. To compete, each pupil or group of pupils has to carry out a piece of original, practical science research. In the past this work has included not just pure science such as investigating biochemical pathways and constructing lasers, but also projects investigating recycling, renewable energy sources, health related topics, music and its affects on study, computer technologies, alternative diets to cure symptoms, ageing and ageism, advertising claims and global warming to mention just a few. Pupils then have to present their work as a written paper for preliminary judging. Finally they have to orally defend their paper at the symposium in front of fellow pupils, a group of teachers and the jury of research scientists. Just doing the research is an achievement in itself, but to then to write a scientific paper and defend your results, often in L2, L3 or L4 rather than L1, is quite an achievement which requires a large range of skills.

The atmosphere at the junior science fair is remarkable as is the enthusiasm and knowledge of the competitors. Then there is the camaraderie at the symposium itself. New friends made, ideas exchanged, knowledge gained, opportunities to visit scientific establishments, meeting distinguished scientists and participating in brainstorming sessions and quizzes all add to the experience. It is also worth mentioning that our teachers gain as much as the pupils from participating in the ESSS.

What about previous winners? One is a senior researcher at Cambridge University and she returned in 2007 as a member of the jury. Others have gone on to careers in science and engineering and many quote the ESSS and JSHS as the opportunity to show their enthusiasm for science outside of the classroom as well as in it. With the added language skills of our pupils the ESSS can be seen as the perfect testing ground for future scientists; these are the scientists that our governments encourage us to develop.

What of the future? We are already planning for Varese in 2008. We are always looking for sponsorship and financial support. We continue to be indebted to OHIM, the Patent Office (EPO) in Munich, EMBL in Heidelberg and the European Commission (Scientific Division) who provide jury members at their own expense and who support us with a variety of prizes. Many PAs are also supportive as are some of the research establishments to which the schools are attached.

Further information about the ESSS can be obtained from the teachers in the individual schools, from the Science Inspectors or from Mr. David Broadbent at the school in Bergen.