A group of 30 talented teenagers selected for the Millennium Youth Camp
The participants of the Millennium Youth Camp (MY Camp), to be organised in June in Helsinki, have been selected. From the initial 995 applications, one hundred 16 to 19 year olds were elected for the second round, and of these, 30 talented young people were finally selected for the camp.
“We were pleasantly surprised by the number of applicants and the generally high standard. All applicants were of good standard, but the best ones stood out,” says Professor Maija Aksela who chairs the Steering Group. ”The first impression created by all applications was that of great enthusiasm,” says Aksela.
The selection was made on the basis of applications for both the first and the second round. In the first round of the selection process, the emphasis was on the applicants’ interest in natural sciences, mathematics and technology. In the second round, the applicants were asked to produce a project plan associated with the theme given for their respective group.
”The project plans included incredibly good ones, totally feasible to implement,” Aksela commends.
The young people at the camp represent all continents. As the organising country, Finland had its own quota. There will be approximately the same number of girls and boys. In addition to Finland, campers will come from Romania, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, the United States, Costa Rica, Argentina, India, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, New Zealand, the Philippines and South Africa. The Finnish participants are from different parts of the country: In addition to the capital region, there will be participants from Porvoo, Kylmäkoski, Kuopio, Kempele and Kälviä.
MY Camp participants will be divided up into six theme groups: applied mathematics, climate change, ICT, water, renewable energy and renewable natural resources.
The camp will be organised from 6 to 13 June 2010. The purpose is to raise awareness of Finland as an innovative research and technology country, and of the study and working opportunities available in Finland. The MY Camp participants will also attend the Millennium Technology Prize ceremony in Helsinki on 9 June and have an opportunity to meet the 2010 Millennium Laureates in person.
The main organisers of the event include Technology Academy Finland, the national LUMA centre, the Centre for School Clubs and the Ministry of Education. The following are also closely involved with the project: the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, the Finnish National Board of Education, the Academy of Finland, the University of Helsinki, Aalto University School of Science and Technology, the Economic Information Office, the Federation of Finnish Technology Industries, the Union of Teachers of Biology and Mathematics, the Finnish Association of Teachers of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Informatics (MAOL), the Finnish Science Centre Heureka and the Museum of Technology. Corporate partners include Kemira, Nokia, UPM-Kymmene and Vaisala.
Further information:
www.millenniumyouthcamp.fi(Link to another website.)
Event Manager Raija Huikko
Technology Academy Finland
raija.huikko(at)technologyacademy.fi, tel. +358 40 506 6113
Maija Aksela, Professor, Chair of the Steering Group of the Millennium Youth CampThe Finnish LUMA Centre, University of Helsinki
maija.aksela(at)helsinki.fi, tel. +358 50 514 1450
Millennium Youth Camp 2010 Participants:
Applied mathematics:
Iordache, Bianca-Teodora (F), Romania
Kuisma, Juho (M), Kylmäkoski, Finland
Manola, Luka (M), Croatia
Muangsanit, Papon (M), Thailand
Repo, Reetta (F), Kuopio, Finland
Climate change:
Chen, John (M), New Zealand
Hietala, Paula (F), Porvoo, Finland
McAteer, Matthew (M), the United States
Nkosikhona, Bulana (M), South Africa
Orasanu, Andra (F), Romania
Venho, Kati (F), Helsinki, Finland
ICT:
Dai, Wenlei (M), Vantaa, Finland
Major, Peter (M), Hungary
Nedelcu, Adina (F), Romania
Nishida, Jun (M), Japan
Samad, Muhammad (M), India
Zhang, Wanmeng (F), Espoo, Finland
Renewable energy:
Balan, Elena-Lavinia (F), Romania
Lomsadze, Georgiy (M), the United States
Nissilä, Elina (F), Kälviä, Finland
Salamania, Janella Mae (F), the Philippines
Vinko, Oskari (M), Espoo, Finland
Renewable natural resources:
Carr, Kathryn (F), New Zealand
Etula, Jarkko (M), Kuopio, Finland
Khanutwong, Chanikarn (F), Thailand
Tseng, I-Ching (F), Taiwan
Water:
Araya, Jorge Alberto (M), Costa Rica
Matej, Franko (M), Slovenia
Oviedo Rouco, Santiago (M), Argentina
Sirola, Menna (F), Kempele, Finland