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Hungarian Research Student Association, Hungary
Tamás Révész
President
Hungarian Research Student Association
1054 Budapest, Szemere u. 21
kutdiak@kutdiak.hu
http://www.kutdiak.hu
SUMMARY OF ACTIVITY
In 1995 a new program has been established by Prof. Peter Csermely in Hungary helping talented high school students in the age below 21 to find mentors who introduce them to scientific research in Hungarian universities or research institutes. We have more than 700 mentors in 37 Hungarian towns. Every Hungarian high school directors get our mentor list and more than 1,000 gifted students also get it personally. This book contains the address and the scientific field of each mentor. Some of our “Old students” already finished their PhD studies and became a mentor of the Mentorship Program. Today more than 5,000 Hungarian students pursue research in laboratories and high school scientific teams. In 2004 high school teachers decided to form an official association to share both their experiences and methods. The Hungarian Research Student Association supports this process with financial and moral assistance. Almost half of the mentors are academy members (17%) or professors (25%) which secures the high standards of the research projects. This way HRSA helps not only talent recruitment and support, but also gives a chance for unparalleled social mobility. Since 2000 a National Student Conference is held every year, where the winners of the regional conferences are allowed to take part. The National Student Conference is divided into sections (e.g. biochemistry, physics, history), the students hold a presentation followed by a discussion with the members of the jury. The winners of the conference have the opportunity to take part at the annual one-week summer camp where world-known scientists talked about their approach of science and about their devotion. During the summer camp the student leadership of the Association is elected. From 2002 the best student of the conference is a special guest of the Nobel Award ceremonies each year. The movement received the Descartes Award from the European Union in 2004.
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