At the "Jugend forscht" (Youth Researches) competition, Jannis Müller from the Lahntalschule Biedenkopf received the special prize for "Resource Efficiency and Circularity" at the national level. His project "Spectroscope – Is It All Just Light???" was awarded the prize, with the jury praising it as exemplary for resource conservation, repair, and reuse.
Müller participated in the regional competition in February, which is jointly organized annually by the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM) and the Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU). In the Giessen Congress Hall, he was one of 15 teams from Central Hesse that advanced to the state finals – from there, as one of the Hessian representatives, he went on to the national finals in Herzogenaurach.
"The past few months have been very busy and exciting," the prize winner reflects. After participating in the junior version of the competition, this was his first time competing in the main event. "When I won first prize in the state competition, I was very proud to be able to go directly to the national finals." The special prize was the crowning achievement.
The project originated from a long-broken piece of laboratory equipment at his school: a spectroscope, which breaks light down into its spectral colors. Jannis Müller repaired the device, reconnected the components, programmed a stepper motor, and added automatic data acquisition via computer. Thus, a modern measuring instrument was created from "discarded scrap" that can measure light step by step and display it as a curve. In his investigations, the spectroscope was able to reliably detect typical spectral lines, such as those of helium and neon.
“Others had failed with previous repair attempts – and now the spectroscope is being used in lessons again,” Jannis Müller explains, describing what motivated him. He also says that in recent months he has been able to pursue his passion for technology and physics outside of the regular curriculum.
This project exemplifies how technical creativity and sustainability can go hand in hand: An existing device was not replaced, but repaired, upgraded, and reused. This extends its lifespan, keeps valuable raw materials in circulation, and provides the Lahntal School with a high-quality instrument for science lessons. These are precisely the kinds of approaches that inspired the special prize for resource efficiency and circularity.
“Jannis Müller’s success sends a strong signal for our region. His project demonstrates the potential of young STEM talents when curiosity, technical skills, and a focus on sustainable solutions come together,” commented Prof. Dr. Jochen Frey, THMVice President for Research and Transfer. It has become clear that the regional competition aims to showcase such a wealth of ideas – and indeed does so.
Jannis Müller's national success underscores the high level of young researchers in the region. The prize, endowed with 1,500 euros, is awarded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Protection, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety together with the network "Education for Resource Conservation and Resource Efficiency" (BilRess), which comprises more than 650 educational institutions, associations, and organizations.