30.9.2010

MILLENNIUM YOUTH FORUM - FUN ACTIVITIES AND THE ADVICE OF TOP RESEARCHERS FOR FUTURE SCIENTISTS

On Friday 24 September 2010, there was a buzz of activity in the air at the Finnish Science Centre Heureka, as the attendees to the Millennium Youth Forum (MY Forum) familiarised themselves with the interactive workshops.

At the Grätzel cell workshop, the young people got to assist Paula Vahermaa, M.Sc. (eng.), in building dye-sensitised solar cells, developed by Michael Grätzel, winner of the 2010 Millennium Technology Prize. Vahermaa introduced the cell manufacturing process step by step, and then the functionality of the finished cell was verified by measuring its voltage. Many attendees marvelled at the simplicity of the cell structure.

At the renewable energy workshop, arranged by the Teknokas Technology Education Center, the attendees got their own chance to build electrical equipment relying on solar power. At the second workshop, the attendees measured the voltage produced by dye-sensitised solar cells and recharged mobile phones with a solar cell backpack based on Grätzel’s innovation.

The use of high-tech pipettes was practiced at the Biohit workshop, and Kemira provided the participants the chance to measure their water footprint. There also were examples displayed of printed electronics based on the innovation of Sir Richard Friend and of the ARM microprocessor by Stephen Furber, along with an exhibition illustrating the evolution of Nokia mobile phones.

Lund: The Sun is an immense source of energy

MY Forum was opened by Per-Edvin Persson, Executive Director of Heureka, who welcomed the young people to the event and introduced the first speaker for the day, Professor Peter Lund from the Aalto University School of Science and Technology. In his speech, Lund emphasised the need for an energy revolution:

“All energy production must become clean. The Sun is an immense source of energy, which is why it should be utilised.”

The biggest advantage of Grätzel cells is that they are easy to manufacture and are very inexpensive in comparison to traditional silicon cells. However, Professor Lund pointed out that Grätzel’s innovation was initially ignored, which required him to be determined and have great confidence in his work for decades.

“Science needs you to persevere, which is how research progresses.”

Lund said that research is also carried out in Finland concerning dye-sensitised solar cells.

Grätzel: Impressed by the questions posed by the young participants

On the eagerly anticipated lecture, and during the discourse session, Professor Grätzel emphasised how significant it is to be curious when it comes to science: “If you are not curious, you won’t become a researcher.”

Grätzel instructed the attendees to question established conceptions in order to find new solutions. He said that it is important to stay in touch with the young since the young are also the future of the energy sector. After the event, Grätzel told the arrangers that he was very impressed by the high-quality questions posed by the young audience. The audience comprised upper secondary school students and first and second year students of a university of applied sciences.

Grätzel volubly thanked the Millennium Technology Prize Selection Committee for the recognition given to him: “I am very grateful. The esteemed international technology award has provided necessary visibility for the entire field, and has thus also helped to obtain research funding.”

Like Lund, Grätzel also emphasised the necessity of an energy reform. “We will soon run out of time,” said the worried Grätzel and pointed out that it is not yet the time for fusion energy, so he would be ready to bet for solar power.

The event was concluded by Ainomaija Haarla, President and CEO of Technology Academy Finland, who summed up the turning points of Grätzel’s career: “Professor Grätzel had to choose between becoming a musician or a scientist, and a career in science ultimately won out. However, these alternatives are not as far away from each other as you might imagine, because science is also creative work,” said Haarla.

Technology Academy Finland was responsible for organising MY Forum. Other contributors included Heureka, The Centre for School Clubs and The Finnish Association of Graduate Engineers (TEK).

Photos, presentations and other material:

www.millenniumprize.fi/mediabank -> “Enter the media bank” -> Millennium Youth Forum (MY Forum) 2010

Further information:

Emilia Erkinheimo, Communications Officer, Technology Academy Finland
Tel. +358 50 5877 144, firstname.lastname(at)technologyacademy.fi

Video clips coming soon:

http://www.technologyacademy.fi/my-forum-fi.html