Science fairs
At Secondary school, I was already very much interested in technology and science. Below is a short summary.
FAST - for the EUCFYS, I made this car radiocontrolled
As a secondary school student, I have participated in the Contest for Young Scientists several times.
One can join this yearly competition with your own research topic or project.
That can be a series of experiments, a social-cultural study, a computer program, a robot...
With my investigations of a homemade continuously variable transmission, FAST, I was delegated to
the European competition in 1998 (then in Oporto).
With your "EXO" research, you can also compete for the Van Melsen Prize. The winners are sent to the International Conference for Young Scientists (ICYS), a contest where youngsters have to give a "scientific lecture" on their research.
Practicum during the NChO'98
In 1997 and 1998, I participated in the International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO),
then in Montreal and Melbourne, respectively. The second time, I returned with a silver
medal (31st of 184).
But the most important prize is the unique experience of the IChO itself, where you
meet with about 250 fellow students from all over the world!
PION is the yearly Physics olympiad for first- and second-year college students. As a team of maximum 4 persons, you try to solve several very "creative" questions, with as the first prize the Feynman Lectures on Physics.
With such activities, you also sometimes make it into the (Dutch) media: