Spinverse introduced Millennium Youth Camp Participants to Finnish Fuel Cell and Hybrid Technology Development

International Millennium Youth Camp (MY Camp) was organised first time in Finland in June, 2010. The MY Camp gathered talented 16-19 year-olds to do international science in the Helsinki metropolitan area. Around 1000 youngsters from 62 countries applied to the MY Camp. In the end, 30 youngsters from 14 countries were chosen in the two-phase selection process. The aim of the week was to increase young people's interest in natural sciences and technology. The participants got to know the research and studying opportunities in Helsinki metropolitan area universities, they visited Finnish companies and networked among each other.

Spinverse together with the Tekes Fuel Cell program, Wärtsilä, VTT and Aalto University acquainted four youngsters with Finnish fuel cell and hybrid technology developments during one of the visiting days. “Seeing different fuel cell types and comparing them was most interesting and educational during the day”, said New Zealander Kathryn Carr and Finnish Jarkko Etula. Thai Chanikarn Khanutwong crystallised the day by saying: “I liked a lot the thin printed enzymatic fuel cell and the laboratory visits.”

The youngsters program included also making project work in small groups at the Helsinki University led by top experts. This year themes were applied mathematics, climate change, data processing, water, renewable energy sources and renewable natural resources.

The main organisers of the Millennium Youth Camp (MY Camp) are national LUMA Centre, Technology Academy Finland, the Centre For School Clubs and Ministry of Education. Cooperation partners are Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, Finnish National Board of Education, Academy of Finland, University of Helsinki, Aalto University School of Science and Technology, Economic Information Office (TAT), Federation of Finnish Technology Industries, Association of Biology and Geography Teachers (BMOL), Chemical Industry Federation of Finland, Finnish Association of Teachers of Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Informatics (MAOL), Finnish Science Centre Heureka, Museum of Technology, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Tekes - the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation. Company partners are Kemira, Nokia, PaloDEx Group, Spinverse, UPM, Vaisala and Wärtsilä.