Students from international school win MEDEA Award with study on the effects of electromagnetic fields at school

The Watts Happening? team from the Carlucci American International School of Lisbon (CAISL) won the 16th edition of the MEDEA Award, an initiative jointly organised by the Portuguese Physics Society (SPF– Sociedade Portuguesa de Física) and REN – Redes Energéticas Nacionais. The award aims to promote the study of physics and the exploration of electromagnetic fields. The Boeing team, from the Eça de Queirós Secondary School in Póvoa de Varzim, received an Honourable Mention.

The Watts Happening? team, composed of 11th-grade students Jiang Song Ren, Mikhail Kuznetsov, Sofia Golubovski and Tomás Catarino, and guided by teachers Edite Briosa and Ana Almeida, focused their project on the low-frequency electromagnetic fields generated by a transformer located at the entrance of their school. Their research concluded that the values measured were within the limits established by the World Health Organisation.

Reflecting on their achievement, the students emphasised: "This award values not only our scientific knowledge, but also our ability to apply it to a situation that is relevant to our community. It is a recognition of our work and dedication, and it underlines the importance of studying physics in real-world scenarios."

As for the Boeing team, composed of Inês Carvalho, Gonçalo Alves, Pedro Pinheiro, Pedro Santos and Salvador Bastos, 12th-grade students at Eça de Queirós Secondary School in Póvoa de Varzim, under the guidance of teacher Carlos Rodrigues, they developed a research project focused on the measurement of low-intensity magnetic fields.

Their work included experimental measurements, graphical processing of the data and the production of both a video and a scientific poster, rendering the research process more accessible and engaging. "This achievement reflects the commitment of these students and the enthusiasm with which they embraced the discovery of science. More than academic recognition, this award symbolises the ability to dream, to learn and to achieve goals as a team," highlighted teacher Carlos Rodrigues.

Pedro Teixeira Abreu, President of the SPF, pointed out the impact of the project: "For the students and teachers who took part in this year's edition, it was undoubtedly a memorable experience, bridging the gap between electromagnetism and practical research in their own environments. The turnout from schools was quite remarkable, which demonstrates the importance of the MEDEA project, in partnership with REN, for the teaching of experimental physics in schools."

The awards ceremony took place on 8 September at the Institute of Education – Alameda da Universidade, in Lisbon.

Set up in 2008, MEDEA is a project of the Portuguese Physics Society (SPF – Sociedade Portuguesa de Física) and REN – Redes Energéticas Nacionais, aimed at students in the 10th to 12th years of secondary and vocational education. It enables practical application of the training provided in schools, by combining scientific knowledge with the students’ everyday lives via experiments carried out by the students themselves, inside and outside the classroom.

Participants develop a scientific project based on measurements of extremely low-frequency electric and magnetic fields, ranging from 0 to 300 Hz, in the environment, especially, in their school, at home, and in the vicinity of electric power transmission lines. They also seek scientifically credible information about the potential effects of these fields on human health. Participating schools receive a device to measure electric and magnetic fields that the students use during the project.