• Young researchers impressed with green ideas for the future – from smart pillows to edible cups

High school students from all over Bulgaria took part in the student competition "Young Researchers 2025", which the University of Food Technology (UFT) - Plovdiv organized with the support of the National Program "Education with Science" of the Ministry of Education and Science. They competed in 9 areas: "Food and Beverages”, "Nutrition and Health", "Biotechnologies", "Ecology and Green Technologies", "Perfume and Cosmetics", "Economy and Entrepreneurship", "Tourism and Culinary Management", "Catering", and "Mechatronic Systems".

Over 110 teams participated, impressing the committees with their original ideas and attractive presentation. According to the rules of the competition, each team consisted of one to three students (from 10th, 11th or 12th grade), working under the guidance of two mentors - a teacher and a lecturer from the UFT. The young people were highly motivated to demonstrate their knowledge and this created a competitive atmosphere during the presentation of their ideas. This year, participation in the competition is equivalent to an entrance exam grade for the university for students in the 11th and 12th grades. Cash prizes were provided for the winning places.

The evaluation of the projects in the field of “Ecology and Green Technologies” was carried out by a jury with the participation of the lecturers from the Department of “Engineering Ecology” Assoc. Prof. Donka Taneva, Senior Asst. Prof. Alexander Slavov, and the representative of the Regional Inspectorate for Environment and Water – Plovdiv (RIEW – Plovdiv) Miloslava Mihaylova. Twelve projects competed in this category. All of them were designed after extensive theoretical preparation and practical activities and experiments. Some were distinguished as exceptional innovation. All received certificates from the director of RIEW – Plovdiv.

Competition entries included projects for a smart pillow of the future, combining sustainable materials, intelligent sensors and the ability to monitor health in real time. The use of lichens as a natural indicator for monitoring air purity was presented. A student from Lom impressed with his idea of ​​placing unique backpacks on the backs of cows, where the formed biogas would be captured. Students from Razlog examined the benefits of green cities and mushroom cities.

Other teams focused their efforts on the water and carbon footprint, proposing measures and solutions on how to reduce these in an attractive and mind-capturing way. Based on their research, the students warned that it is entirely possible, from a scientific point of view, that dinosaurs will return due to global warming and sharply increasing levels of carbon dioxide.

Tenth graders from the "Ivan Vazov" School - Stara Zagora presented their practical experience in hydroponic crop cultivation - an innovative method in which plants develop without soil, receiving the necessary nutrients directly from mineral-rich water solutions. This technology allows for more efficient use of resources, faster growth, and year-round production, even in urban environments or adverse climatic conditions and was tested by them personally at school.

Twelveth graders from the Vocational High School of Economics in Kardzhali see the future as not only sustainable, but also tasty. They presented their innovative alternative to disposable plastic cups - edible beer cups, created especially for festivals and mass events from corn starch according to a recipe specially developed by them. The students' green proposal is that after enjoying our favorite drink, we should eat the cup too. The cups come in different flavors - barbecue, pizza, sprat and others, which will enrich the consumer experience, thereby reducing the amount of plastic waste.

Alumni from the "Dobri Chintulov" Specialized High School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics - Sliven spoke about "The Second Life of Lavender: Innovative Solutions for Lavender Oil Waste". This was also the team that won first place. They proposed solutions for using lavender waste in various fields - from agriculture to cosmetics and energy. The students produced a test quantity of aromatic lavender pellets. They tested the calorific value, humidity, amount of ash, and the class of pellets they belong to in a certified laboratory. They also proposed an alternative use of the pellets as a flavoring agent.

The young team from the "Aleko Konstantinov" Vocational High School of Economics, Kardzhali, presented to the jury the latest concepts for biodegradable drones made of materials such as mycelium, cellulose, and biopolymers. These drones not only reduce electronic waste, but also find wide application in agriculture, environmental monitoring, and humanitarian missions.

Throughout the event, tents were set up in the courtyard of the University of Food Technology, where students demonstrated innovative solutions in the field of green technologies and robotics. Future graduates presented to visitors the latest trends in the food industry, waste-free technologies, healthy food and beverages. Lovers of natural cosmetics had the opportunity to test new biocosmetic products developed in practical classes.