Johanne Austrheim and Ingrid Lydia Haug from Danielsen college of further education and Odin Kvam from the Laksevåg college won the StatoilHydro prize. They are pictured here together with Cathrine Strøm Nøstvold, head of teaching at the Bergen Science Centre and CEO Helge Lund.
(Photo: Marit Hommedal)
Chief executive Helge Lund presented the the prize for answers in the technology and science competition. Winners Ingrid Lydia Haug, Johanne Austrheim and Odin Kvam each received NOK 15,000 in cash and can also look forward to a visit to a North Sea oil platform.
Organised since 2002, the StatoilHydro prize, formerly the Hydro prize, is aimed at further education college pupils in their second year.
The prize is part of StatoilHydro's comprehensive focus on stimulating children's and young people's interest in science subjects.
The competition is a national one this year, previously only being open to pupils in Hordaland and Sogn & Fjordane counties, western Norway.
Johanne Austrheim was the first to be called up as prizewinner. Background: Odin Kvam (left) and Ingrid Lydia Kva (right).
(Photo: Marit Hommedal
Three winners
The purpose of the prize is to increase interest for technology and science subjects and to stimulate more pupils to choose these. Ingrid Lydia and Johanne are pupils at Danielsen college of further education while Odin attends the Laksevåg college.
They submitted their own individual answers and receive a prize each. Christine Wigand, public affairs manager for North Sea operations, characterises their answers as thorough and very good.
"This year's competition saw pupils challenged on climate issues, with tsunamis and carbon dioxide as special topics," she says.
"They have solved the tasks in the same way most researchers would. Their responses reflect sound knowledge of physics and chemistry and demonstrate their thirst for knowledge and curiosity."
She stresses that the technology and science subject initiative is important.
"Norway is completely dependent on young people choosing science subjects," she says.
"We face big challenges in the development of new technology, both within oil and gas recovery and in the development of new energy forms. We hope the StatoilHydro prize can stimulate an increased interest among young people to study science."