Umeå University on stage at the EC2U Science Contest – watch live and vote

The Umeå University team competing in the EC2U Science Contest 2026, streamed live from Turku on 20 May.

ImageHanna Söderlund

In the competition, they will be up against teams of researchers from the University of Turku and Friedrich Schiller University in Jena (Germany). The competition will be streamed live on YouTube. Students and staff at Umeå University, as well as the general public, are welcome to watch online and vote.

Manju Manharjan, a doctoral student in plant physiology at Umeå Plant Science Centre, shares her thoughts on being part of the Umeå team in the EC2U Science Contest:

"I feel very proud and honored to be part of the Umeå team for the EC2U Science Contest. Even though it’s my first year in Umeå, I’ve already had the opportunity to join such an exciting event. I’m looking forward to collaborating closely with my team, tackling challenges together, and learning from other teams at the center. At the same time, I’m excited to visit the vibrant city of Turku and experience its culture."

What is the EC2U Science Contest?

The EC2U Science Contest is a fast‑paced, interdisciplinary competition where teams of five researchers are given the same question and a limited amount of time to agree on an answer before presenting it to the audience.

The questions are submitted in advance by the public and can explore scientific, societal or ethical topics, as well as curious “what if?” scenarios. There is no set format for the answers. The focus is on clear reasoning, collaboration and the ability to explain complex ideas in an engaging way.

Both the audience and an international jury award points based on clarity, logic, creativity and entertainment value. The contest is held in English and broadcast online, allowing audiences to take part from anywhere in the world.

Meet the Umeå University team

Umeå University will be represented by a multidisciplinary team of five researchers in the EC2U Science Contest 2026. Together, they bring different academic perspectives to the stage and collaborate under time pressure to tackle questions submitted by the audience.