Science Competition winners: Country Award

Five students from Heritage International Xperiential School in India won the Country Award for their research into optimising the production of biodiesels made from algae.

Kalyani Mishra, Adit Mehta, Arghya Jha Swami, Aashna Jain and Bhuvika Yadav set out to answer how different methods of oil extraction, catalysts, and alcohol for transesterification (chemical reaction that involves exchanging the organic group of an ester with the organic group of an alcohol) affect the yield of biodiesel from algae, while maximising energy efficiency.

The team conducted detailed experiments and didn’t always get the results they hypothesized. They found that simply blending the algae to release the oils, instead of blending with a solvent, was the most effective method for extracting oils, while Potassium Hydroxide proved to be the most effective catalyst due to its low density. Out of ethanol and isopropanol, ethanol proved to be the best because it burned the cleanest.

The judges commended the team’s engagement, as well as the procedures evident in the research report.

Reflecting on the competition, the team stated: 'Beyond scientific knowledge, the project strengthened our teamwork, problem-solving, and time management skills. It taught us the value of planning, perseverance, and collaboration. This experience sparked new passions, deepened our appreciation for science, and inspired us to pursue solutions that can positively impact our communities and the planet.'

Three students from Townshend International School in Czech Republic won the Country Award for their investigation into how moss could be used to retain and filter groundwater to tackle droughts and chemicals from fertilisers passing into water supplies.

Kateřina Krauzová, Abigail Stella Jones and Diana Tikhomirova first weighed four different varieties of moss – Dicranum Scoparium, Capillary Thread Moss (Rosulabryum capillare), Pleurozium Schreberi and Entodon Seductrix – before and after being submerged in tap water. The team then collected water from the local Vltava River, observing it under the microscope and testing pH, before and after passing it through the different types of moss. They then did the same but using tap water and adding synthetic fertiliser.

The students found that although Capillary Thread Moss had the highest water absorption ability, Dicranum Scoparium had the highest retention of water after an hour. They also concluded that while the mosses were all effective for removing microorganisms from river water, unfortunately, they were all unable to filter out fertiliser and neutralise pH.

The judges said: 'Using moss to trap groundwater, and filter common pollutants, was a clever idea, executed in a really effective way.'

Reflecting on the competition, Abigail said: 'Throughout this science project, I learned that an experiment may not always go the way we would expect it and that real life experiments are much more unpredictable than the theoretical ones we had thought of. After winning, I feel much more confident in my abilities to problem-solve and design solutions when things go wrong during an experiment. I believe that doing this science project will motivate me to attempt more projects/competitions in the future.'

Six students from Gymnasium A+ School in Ukraine won the Country Award for their investigation into the use of seaweed-based bioplastics to reduce plastic waste.

Rinat Berzak, Artem Parkhomchuk, Viktoriia Bardok, Amina Sorochynska, Kiara Kushnirska and Anastasiia Serhiienko created their bioplastic by blending brown algae to make a powder, before adding water and boiling with protease and cellulase to extract the alginate. They then added starch and glycerine to thicken before leaving it to cool.

Once they had their bioplastic, the team measured the tensile strength by pulling the plastic until it fractured and measuring the force required. For the strongest samples, the students then measured tensile strength after water exposure. The team concluded that although their strongest samples would meet packaging needs, their loss of strength when exposed to water – although a good thing in terms of biodegradability – would not be suitable for commercial needs.

Reflecting on the win, team member Viktoriia said: 'I really enjoyed the research part of my project. It was exciting to find out new facts and present them together. I also learned how to structure my ideas better and manage my time and resources. We chose this topic because we’ve always been interested in how bioplastics work. We wanted to explore something meaningful and relevant to our world today.'

The judges were impressed with the team’s research, noting that they asked ChatGPT for a recipe for an algae bioplastic, but discredited it for being too watery.

Six students from Willow International School – Maputo in Mozambique won the Country Award for their investigation into organic super absorbent polymers (SAPs) that could be used to maintain soil moisture in times of drought.

Dhayrai Mario, Elainne Ayme, Lamis Nordine, Ryann Adam, Niia Bluebell Eden Dos and Perola Kyara trailed three different kinds of organic SAP – orange peel concentrate, made from boiling orange peel with lemon juice and distilled water; orange peel power, which they made from heating and crushing orange peels; and finally orange and avocado peel mix, also made from heating and crushing to form a powder. The team added these mixtures (as well as commercial, non-biodegradable SAPs) to different soil samples before adding bean plants.

The students found that the orange and avocado peel mixture showed the highest water absorption capacity and resulted in the most vigorous plant growth when compared to both commercial and natural SAP alternatives.

The judges commended the team for their scientific method and report writing, highlighting the comparison to commercial SAPs as a nice touch.

In a statement, the team said: 'Throughout this project, we learned a great deal about scientific research – from designing a hypothesis and controlling variables, to collecting and interpreting data. We especially enjoyed the hands-on experiments and the moment we first saw our organic SAP retain water and support plant growth was incredibly rewarding. Most importantly, we learned how science can be used to solve real- world problems and improve lives. This experience has motivated us to continue pursuing scientific exploration and innovation in the future.'

Six students form "Mongol Bilig Oyun" International school in Mongolia won the Country Award for their investigation to detect and reduce carbon dioxide in a classroom environment.

Concerned about air pollution in their school, team members, Enkhjin Sergelenbayar, Jargalmaa Munkhbayar, Oyut - Setsen Khishig - Ochir, Munkh - Orgil Batmunkh, Tuguldur Batlkhagva and Tuguldur Davaadorj surveyed their fellow students and found that 57% reported that air pollution hindered their understanding in lesson, making it ‘hard to concentrate’ as well as causing tiredness.

The team decided to build a DIY sodium hydroxide CO2 purifier using a beaker of sodium hydroxide solution and a fan. Using a plastic container to simulate an indoor space, the students created a CO2 rich environment by breathing into the container and burning a candle. The team measured CO2 levels before and after introducing their purifier to the container and found that it reduced the levels of CO2 by approximately 50% after 15 minutes.

The judges were pleased by the team’s survey and praised the students for recognising that science can make a difference – raising awareness and motivating others.

Team member, Oyut - Setsen Khishig – Ochir said: 'Learning how to build a simple yet effective air purifier from basic materials was amazing. It showed me that science isn’t just about theories, but about creating solutions to real-life challenges. Winning the award was unforgettable; it showed us that our efforts can make a real difference.'

Three students from Pinehurst School in New Zealand won the Country Award for their investigation into the most effective alkali for preserving flax, in order to find an efficient and feasible way of preserving traditional Māori flax artifacts.

Inspired by ‘kaitiakitanga’, a Māori term that refers to the concept of guardianship and protection of the natural environment, Annie He, Kay Wu and Linda Chen identified limewater, sodium bicarbonate solution and sodium hydroxide solution as potential alkalis they wanted to test. Using different cuts of flax, the team measured:

• change in mass before and after being added to the different alkalis over a period of six, nine, 12 and 24 hours
• pH of flax (before and after alkali treatment)
• flax fibre quality using a microscope and micrometre gauge (before and after alkali treatment)
• tensile strength by hanging masses in 50g increments onto a string of flax (before and after alkali treatment).

The team found that out of the alkalis tested, limewater minimised mass loss, maximised tensile strength and maintained fibre health during storage.

The judges praised the students for their cultural conservation and treatment of the flax in a sustainable way.

Team member Yinqi (Kay) Wu said: 'We chose the topic flax preservation to spread awareness at the growing problems involving the protection of cultural artifacts. While participating in this project I was able to deepen both my practical and scientific understanding, helping me strive to become a more eager learner.'

Three students from Wellington College International Tianjin in China won the Country Award for their investigation into creating biofuel from food waste using yeast fermentation.

Inspired by their research into food waste around the world and armed with leftover rice and corn from their school cafeteria, Jianhui Zhao, Tianyou Yang and Huahong Liu wanted to see whether they could turn the waste into an ethanol biofuel.

The team blended leftover rice with water and added yeast, transferring the mixture to fermentation vessels and incubating at 30°C for 3-4 days. They then did the same using corn waste. When the students measured using an alcoholmeter and refractometer, they found that the rice waste produced 19.7% and corn 17.8% ethanol. Lastly, they distilled the mixtures to produce ethanol at 60%, concluding that higher levels of purity would be achievable with more sophisticated equipment and confirming their initial hypothesis that food waste can be effectively converted to bioethanol.

The judges were impressed with the application of ancient techniques to current problems, i.e. food waste and fuel production, as well as the students’ focus on addressing food waste in their own school.

Reflecting on their project, Terrell Yang said: 'The process wasn’t always smooth – we faced setbacks, adjusted our goals, and had to be flexible when plans changed – but in the end, the experience taught us a lot about adaptability, teamwork, and the value of sticking with a project even when it gets difficult.'