the-BA : EU Contest 2007

Galen Brown at the EU contest for Young Scientists, Valencia, Spain

Galen Brown, 17, from Orkney, has scooped one of seven EIRO Forum Prizes at the EU Contest for Young Scientists held in Valencia, Spain.

Showing that science really can offer a lot of opportunities for young people and open up a world of exploration, Galen will now travel to Switzerland to take up a one-week placement at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics in Switzerland – the world’s largest particle physics laboratory.

Galen, a student from Stromness Academy, won his place at the EU Contest after impressing judges at the national BA CREST Science Fair held in London in February, attended by the UK’s top young scientists.

His project, ‘The Flexible TV Standby Controller’, which involved an innovative approach to tackling energy wastage, earned him a BA Gold CREST Award and the trip to Valencia. At the EU Contest, Galen competed against a further 80 of the brightest and most talented young teams from around Europe.

Explaining his project, Galen said: ‘I wanted to use my skills in science and technology to do something about climate change. The BA CREST Fair was a great experience. To top it all off, having the chance to visit Valencia and compete was fantastic. I can’t wait to visit CERN and learn about the research done there.’

Galen developed a device that switches off the electrical supply to equipment when it has been left on standby, turning it on again automatically when required. He had to present his project to 5 judges for a gruelling duration of 15 minutes per judge. He was commended for his dedication to solving an important problem and his motivation in carrying out the project on his own.

Sharmila Banerjee, Young People's Programme Manager said: ‘We are very proud of Galen and his achievement. We were very impressed with his CREST project and delighted that it has allowed him to be part of such a prestigious international event. His success highlights the talent and creativity of our young scientists and engineers.’ At 17, Galen is one of the youngest students to win a prize at this year's event.

More information: BA CREST Science Fair

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