The Education and Research Institute ‘School of Physics and Technology’ of Karazin University co-organised the 26th Junior Tournament of Young Physicists

On 17–19 April, the 26th All-Ukrainian Open Tournament of Young Physicists (Junior League) was held online. The prestigious intellectual competition was traditionally organised by the Education and Research Institute “School of Physics and Technology” of Karazin University and Kharkiv Scientific Lyceum “Obdarovanist.”

This year, six teams from different regions of Ukraine took part in the tournament: Kharkiv (“Momentum”, “Obdarovanist”, “The Ant”), Odesa (“Odeskyi Pudding”), Ivano-Frankivsk (“Acceleration of Thoughts 3”), and Kyiv (UPhML). Over the course of two months, talented school students explored 12 open-ended problems, and during the tournament itself, they actively defended their solutions before opponents and experts, demonstrating solid theoretical and experimental research.

Philosophy of Open Science

The main feature of the tournament lies in the inventive and research-based nature of its tasks. Unlike standard school or olympiad problems, tournament cases do not have a single correct answer or a fixed solving algorithm. They require creativity, the ability to propose bold hypotheses, engage in scientific discussion, and work as a team.

As long-term practice shows, this format stimulates curiosity and a desire for knowledge: “tournament fighters” later become top university students and receive invitations to leading research centres in Europe, the USA, and Japan.

Star Jury and Continuity of Generations

The efforts of the young scientists were evaluated by more than twenty leading experts, including nationally renowned educators: Hero of Ukraine Ilya Helfgott and the author of a popular video course Pavlo Viktor. The jury also included:

• Igor Hirka — Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Head of the Jury;
• Igor Anisimov — President of the Ukrainian Physical Society, Professor;
• Zakhary Maizelis and Oleksandr Chernenko — Professors.

An especially pleasant surprise for the winners were prizes presented by a graduate of the School of Physics and Technology of Karazin University, multiple winner of past tournaments, and now a researcher at Princeton University, Oleksandr Kryuchkov.

Special gratitude goes to the long-standing inspirers of the tournament movement — Oleksandr Leonidovych and Oleksandr Oleksandrovych Kamins, who have been supporting the Tournament of Young Physicists since 1993, adapting problems and moderating the fights.

Karazin University sincerely congratulates the participants and winners of the tournament! We are proud that Ukrainian youth continue to develop their intellectual potential despite the challenges of our time.