Poster price for high school students

Recently 3 high school students, Jildou Schippers, Anouk van der Meij and Emma Post of the OSG Sevenwolden in Heerenveen won the poster price for their biotechnological project during the Finale of the IMAGINE Scholierencompetitie in Noordwijkerhout. Students participated in this competition to devise sustainable solutions to technical problems in developing countries. The competition was organized by Stichting Imagine Life Sciences. The 3 students were supervised by Prof dr Marc van der Maarel of the Aquatic Biotechnology and Bioproduct Engineering-group of ENTEG.

Jatropha is grown in many places in Ghana. The crop is primarily used as a biofuel but has many adverse effects on the soil. Farmers who live next to Jantropha plantations suffer from these side effects and can no longer grow their traditional crops. The threesome realized that fine soaps could be produced with the oil from Jatropha. The students wrote a business plan for a local, sustainable soap factory and presented their ideas during the final.

For more information:

• http://www.oneworld.nl/research/wereldwijde-vraagstukken/scholieren-koppelen-lifescience-aan-wereldproblemen