11.6.2010

MY CAMP BRINGS STUDENTS TOGETHER TO SOLVE GLOBAL PROBLEMS

The international science camp, Millennium Youth Camp (MY Camp) took place during the Millennium Technology Week.

Kati Venho, one of the Finnish students selected to the camp among almost a thousand applicants, was very happy with the programme – as well as with the group itself. “It’s fascinating that so many people from so many different countries and with various backgrounds get along so well from the beginning! I expected it would take at least a few days,” Venho said.

The 995 applications for the camp came from 62 different countries across the world. After the two-phase selection process, 30 students were selected to participate. The campers were divided up into six different theme groups: applied mathematics, climate change, ICT, water, renewable energy and renewable natural resources. Venho was in the climate change group.

The programme included lectures, workshops, meetings with top Finnish scientists and visits to the cooperating organisations. Time was also dedicated to team work – and of course some leisure. “It’s a lot, but it’s fun. We also chat and laugh a lot. Tonight, the scheduled programme ends already at 6pm, which is nice!”

Kati thinks that the foreign participants have done a good job getting to know Finland already in advance. “Of course they know Nokia but also a lot of other things about Finland itself and what kind of scientific research has been done here.”

Risto Nieminen, Aalto University Professor, patron of the camp and Chairman of the International Selection Committee of the Millennium Technology Prize, thinks that the decision to select young participants from both Finland and abroad has been a success.

“I talked to Professor Maija Aksela, the supervisor and chairman of the steering group of the camp, who said feedback has been very positive: there’s a spirit of togetherness among the campers and they are all very enthusiastic to learn new things, which has developed lively dialogue.”

According to Professor Nieminen, MY Camp represents the future of technology:

“The whole event needs also forward-looking components. There’s no point only celebrating existing innovations, we also need a vision of where we are going and what impact we are excepting technology to make. For students, it’s more interesting than what old guys have done almost 50 years ago.”

In the same breath when speaking of old men, Nieminen wishes more female candidates for the Millennium Technology Prize:

”So far all the Laureates have been men, but if you look at MY Camp, it’s clear that women are just as interested in technology and also good at it.”

pekka.virolainen@technologyacademy.fi