In their project, Dana Dalal and Jack Parameswaran explored how methane can be produced from food waste. To do so, they tested pond sediments and cow manure as so-called starter cultures. They found that around 37°C is ideal when using cow manure, while the sediments worked well even at room temperature.

With this research, they won the regional competition and will now take part in the state competition on 18 and 19 March in Darmstadt.

Fineas Kirchner and Raphael Theil developed a prototype bioreactor. It can automatically detect methane produced from organic waste and compress the gas and store it in bottles. 

Their project earned them third place. Despite strong competition, they were able to demonstrate their technical skills impressively and gain valuable experience.

We are especially happy that the project lead, Audrey Schollier, was also recognised for her commitment to supporting young talent and mentoring Jugend forscht-projects. 

The success of our students in the competition shows that you don’t need a high-tech lab to achieve something great, as long as you have a strong idea and the courage to pursue it over two years. 

A special thank you goes to Audrey Schollier, who supported the project with tremendous dedication, professional expertise, and a lot of heart, as well as to the Phorms Taunus STEM team. 

We’re looking forward to the state competition and are keeping our fingers crossed for our team!