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The 2024 Oxford Scientist Competition was extremely competitive, with many fascinating articles being submitted by young and driven scientists. The competition featured a distinguished panel of senior judges, including Professor Andrew Gosler, the Head of the Institute of Human Sciences, and biotechnologist Dr Roberta Baronio. The competition was proudly organised by the Oxford Scientist team and led by the Competition Leads Franziska Guenther and Gavin Man.
We are delighted to announce the winners and runners-up for the 2024 Schools Science Writing Competition.
The overall winner of the competition is ‘Brains to Brilliance: The Evolution of the Mind towards Cerebral Thinking‘ by Arushi Vasanad, Pate’s Grammar School.
Year 12-13 winner is ‘Dogs, avocados and yoghurt – harnessing evolution through domestication‘ by Jaden Lim, Harrow School.
Year 10-11 winner is ‘Coevolution: If you had to survive, would you reap benefits, or lives?‘ by Julia Chung, St Swithun’s School
Overall winner
Arushi Vasanad
Pate’s Grammar School, Gloucestershire
Brains to Brilliance: The Evolution of the Mind towards Cerebral Thinking
Year 12-13 winner
Jaden Lim
Harrow School, London
Dogs, avocados and yoghurt – harnessing evolution through domestication
Year 10-11 winner
Julia Chung
St Swithun’s School, Hampshire
Coevolution: If you had to survive, would you reap benefits, or lives?
Runners-up
‘The Rate of Evolution: A Well (Time) Travelled Whale’ by Archie Turner, Aldenham School, Hertfordshire.
‘Grow smart and die fast: the peculiar evolution of the octopus mind’ by Roman Lorello, University College School, London..
‘Iron’s Irreplaceable Role in Evolution‘ by Sophia Feldman, South Hampstead High School, London.
‘Evolution of the human eye’ by Aaminah Imran, London Academy of Excellence, London.
‘From Stone to Silicon: The Evolution of Human-Data Interaction’ by Earl Xavier Fornillos, St Bonaventure’s School, London.
‘Phone use and marshmallows: How less is s’more’ by Flo Rawson, Regiate College Surrey, Surrey.
The Judges
Prof Andrew Gosler
Andrew Gosler is Professor of Ethno-ornithology at the University of Oxford, where he holds a joint position between the Department of Biology and the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, where he is also Head of Institute of Human Sciences. His research over more than 40 years spans pure and applied aspects of ornithology, including eco-morphology of birds, the function of speckling on birds’ eggs, the ethno-ornithology of bird folk-names, the natural-history knowledge of people in post-industrial communities and the role of religion in environmental stewardship. He is Research Director of the Ethno-ornithology World Atlas, and a Fellow at Mansfield College, Oxford.
Dr Roberta Baronio
Roberta Baronio is biotechnologist at heart with an expertise in drug discovery and functional genomics. She has had roles in academia, start-ups and big pharma companies, in Europe as well as in the United States. Currently she works in Xcellomics, a partnership between the tech-bio company Exscientia and Center for Medicines Discovery, at the University of Oxford. She is a foodie and a shoe addict.