19.01.2026
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“Mackenzie Mathis said that you don't really need to find a set path right away and even when you do find one you can always change.That's what makes the beauty of life and of discovery. A person that inspires me is a scientist I had the pleasure to work with a couple of years ago, who sort of was my mentor. I really enjoyed his passion and the way he enjoyed his field of study and the way he wanted to bring it to as many people as he could.”
"As a young person, the Jugend forscht competition had a big impact on me. By chance, after a bicycle accident on black ice, I came across the question of how to detect road conditions, whether the road is icy, wet, or dry. I was surprised that there was no technological solution for this and decided to explore the topic in a Jugend forscht project. This playful project showed me that physics can be used to solve everyday problems and develop new technologies, and it reinforced my desire to conduct research at the interface between physics and applied technologies."
"We asked the three prize winners lots of questions. I thought it was cool to see that they are actually normal people. I didn't know what the life of a successful researcher was actually like. They are normal people who are simply very passionate and see things through. Maybe they didn't always have that passion – you don't have to know what you want to do at the age of 15. But they found something that interests them, and you can really feel that drive."
Who or what inspires you? Send us your answer on Instagram (@science.olympiad.ch) or by email.
Annual theme “Look up!”: Who do we look up to? What do we see, when we look up — maybe using a telescope at the new Astronomy Olympiad? Just as a ship can use the stars to navigate, role models can help us find our path. In 2026 we meet inspiring people and those inspired by them. We present talent promotion practices worth looking up to. And we gaze at the sky. Subscribe to the newsletter or follow us on Instagram so you don’t miss anything!
Workshop on the Swiss Science Prizes Marcel Benoist und Latsis: On November 5, three award winners met with nearly 30 young people at the University of Bern, including many Science Olympiad and Swiss Youth in Science participants. Learn more.
