April 1 and 2, 2009 at the Fraunhofer IFF, Sandtorstrasse 22, Magdeburg
 
2009 "Jugend forscht" State Champions from Saxony-Anhalt Named
 
Thirteen young researchers from Saxony-Anhalt qualified for the 44th national Jugend forscht competition. The 2009 state champions were named in Magdeburg yesterday. Sixty-one entrants with presented a total of thirty-seven research studies at this year’s state competition organized by E.ON Avacon AG.
 
Incorrect sitting posture often triggers posture deformities – even in school students. Hence, Lisa Neidhardt (15), Vivien Zahn (15) and Pascale Schröder (14) from Winckelmann High School in Stendal developed an ergonomic chair for school. It can be flexibly adjusted to different body sizes. The young researchers took first prize in the category the working world. Lisa Neidhardt and fellow students Nora Müller (15) and Alexander Rettkowski (16) also performed impressively in the category geographic and spatial sciences. The state champions presented an innovative utilization concept for the premises of a former airfield in Stendal. The heart of their design is a golf course intended to preserve the biosphere and boost the location economically.
 
Walking sticks are real camouflage artists: Their twig or leaf-like shape matches their habitat perfectly. Henry Bote from Gerhart-Hauptmann High School in Wernigerode researched the origin of the camouflage colors and the insect’s different defense mechanisms. The sixteen year old reeceived the stat prize in biology. Elisabeth Hahn (14) and Anna Victoria Behr (17) from Elisabeth High School in Halle took first place in chemistry. The young researchers developed a fast and efficient method to determine the vitamin C content in liquid and solid foods.
 
State champion in the category mathematics/computer science were Patrick Lühne (17) and Christoph Sterz (18) from Georg-Cantor High School in Halle. The two students created a computer simulation that visualizes star and galaxy systems as well as potential collisions of celestial bodies physically precise. Sebastian Mensch (19) from Paul-Gerhardt High School in Gräfenhainichen won in the category physics with a study of the homogeneous field, an electromagnetic field in which the force that acts on a body is uniform all over. The young researcher determined that this physical phenomenon is only taught in school greatly simplified. A computer simulation he created himself delivered information on the real characteristics of this field.
 
The observation of protozoa under the microscope is complicated because the organisms quickly disappear from the field of view at greater magnification. Anton Anders (16) and Sebastian Heerwald (14) from Paul-Gerhardt high School in Gräfenhainichen developed a novel device for microscopes, which tracks protozoa, by automatically readjusting the slide. The two youn researchers won in the category technology.
 
The state competitions in March and April will be followed by the 44th national competition in Osnabrück on May 21 to 24, Mai 2009. It is being jointly hosted by the Jugend forscht Foundation and the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt.