Published: 2026-02-27

Help shape the EC2U Science Contest 2026 – submit your questions

NEWS On 20 May 2026, Umeå University will be represented on stage when researchers from Umeå, Jena (Germany) and Turku compete in the EC2U Science Contest during the EC2U Forum in Turku, Finland. Now staff, students and the wider public are invited to help shape the competition by submitting questions for the researchers to solve live.

Text: David Meyers

The EC2U Science Contest is a fast‑paced, entertaining event where multidisciplinary teams of researchers are given the same question and just a few minutes to agree on an answer before presenting it to the audience. The questions are submitted in advance by the public and can address scientific, societal or ethical issues, as well as curious “what if?” scenarios.

Both the audience and an international jury award points based on clarity, logic, creativity and entertainment value. The event is held in English and will be broadcast online, allowing participation beyond Turku.

Now is your chance to suggest a question for the scientific teams to tackle in the EC2U Science Contest on 20 May 2026.

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From big challenges to everyday curiosity

In previous Science Contests, audience questions have included:

Why are planets round, but the solar system flat?
Is it ethically better to eat insects than meat?
How many balloons would it take to lift an 80‑kg person into the air?
Could we change our genes to prevent disease – and should we?

There is no “correct” format for a question. What matters is that it sparks discussion and invites researchers to think across disciplines.

Anyone can contribute and submit questions

Questions can be submitted by students, staff and members of the public, and selected questions will be challenged live by the teams—including the Umeå University team—on stage in Turku.

Deadline for questions: 31 March 2026
Submit your question here: Suggested questions for the EC2U Science Contest

To be livestreamed on Youtube (20 May at 17:00-19:00)

About the EC2U Science Contest

Originally launched by the University of Turku in 2016, the Science Contest (formerly Science Battle) aims to showcase how researchers approach unfamiliar problems in real time—combining scientific rigour with creativity and collaboration across Europe.

Each year, during the EC2U Forum, a Science Contest round is organized between 3 universities. On 20 May, teams from the universities of Jena, Umeå, and Turku will compete for a place in the grand finale against the winners of the first two rounds, Iași and Pavia.

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