Secondary-school science activities

At Secondary school, I was already very much interested in technology and science. Below is a short summary.

Contest for Young Scientists (DJO)

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).

• European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCFYS)

The Van Melsen Prize

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.

• The Van Melsen Prize
• Project description FAST
• ICYS homepage

National / International Chemistry Olympiad (NChO / IChO)

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 (31^st 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!

• 43^e International Chemistry Olympiad 2011 - Ankara, Turkey
  The Dutch team wins 2 bronze medals
• Yahoo group of 34^th IChO

PION

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.

• PION 2009

Links

With such activities, you also sometimes make it into the (Dutch) media:

• Reformatorisch Dagblad, 29 January 1996
• Trouw, 10 February 1997
• Reformatorisch Dagblad, 17 March 1998
• NRC, 8 September 1998