Diya Vincent and Chris Kalogroulis have been awarded the top prizes in The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition. Vincent, a Year 7 student from Sevenoaks School in Kent, has been awarded the GSK UK Young Scientist of the Year title for her project titled ‘Microgreens from Goldfish’. As part of the experiment, Diya grew microgreens using fertilised water from an aquarium and then compared them using three different methods.
The first method grows microgreens in a neutral medium with unfertilised water. The second method utilises water from an aquarium which is naturally fertilised with fish waste and absorbs water via cloth wicks toward the plant roots. The third method also uses fertilised fish water, but the water flows continuously around plant root, thanks to a solar panel powering a water pump. Diya concluded that method three is the fastest, delivering a harvest of microgreens, like cress, to the family salad bowl within 10 days.
Meanwhile, Kalogroulis, 18, currently in his first year at Imperial College studying Design Engineering has been awarded the GSK UK Young Engineer of the Year title for his project, Flip. For his project, Chris has created a striking, sustainable and minimalist mechanical clock. Chris wanted to create a product which has an aesthetic appeal but one that would allow him to learn and apply mechanics, electronics and programming. 
On completion of university, Kalogroulis plans to apply the skills he’s learnt to open a business with his brother, to design and create more great products for people to have in their homes.
Over 300 young people from across the country were selected to be digital finalists of The Big Bang Competition, an annual contest designed to recognise and reward young people’s achievements in all areas of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM), as well as helping them build skills and confidence in project-based work.
This year, in light of the coronavirus, the team at The Big Bang Fair asked finalists to submit a video presentation from which 50 STEM professionals (with specialisms across a range of areas including astronomy, antimicrobials, health monitoring, underwater acoustics and toxicology) identified the winners.
The students win £2,000 in prize money to continue on their STEM journey as well as a trophy and certificate.
Kerry O’Callaghan, vice president, Corporate Reputation and Brand, said: “The best part of the awards for me is getting a fascinating glimpse into the minds of future scientists and engineers. It’s hugely important that we continue to showcase real world examples of STEM and by doing so, the exciting opportunities that a career within a STEM organisation could offer.
“I’m very excited to see what the winners will go on to achieve in the years to come. By giving young people the confidence to succeed, we can inspire them and give them the ambition to be our future innovators and leaders.”
