Third and final part of my EUCYS adventure here.

courtney_cspark We're off to award ceremony now! Went shopping earlier + spent "judging session" wandering round meeting people --4:16 PM Sep 15th from txt

Hannah, Ellie and I went to the Chaillet area of Paris for shopping since we had a few hours between the last jury session (for mostly for moderation purposes) - Robert went with another group that visited a big cemetery where lots of famous people are buried. During the morning session I had a walk round the previously unexplored life sciences stands and found that some of them were actually understandable! (That's not a bad reflection on them, just my puny mind unable to copy with all the scary long words.)

courtney_cspark Just finished the award ceremony - I won a trip to CERN (and went for about a minute without breathing)! --7:42 PM Sep 15th from txt

The first prize of the evening was the EIROforum CERN prize - the winner gets the chance to spend a week at CERN - visiting the permanent exhibition and various experiments and departments (according to the winner's interests). I was kinda shocked when my country, then my name was read out (I was the only UK entrant with a physics project, the other two being medical sciences and biology). Kinda really shocked. To the extent where I was still shaking at the end of the ceremony.

courtney_cspark All the other projects were amazing so I am genuinely shocked. Well done to everyone! --7:46 PM Sep 15th from txt

I really mean that! Without a speck of false modesty I thought my project was the weakest of the physics projects. In the end a lot of the prizes went to physics projects; I can't really comment on whether more life sciences ones deserved to win since I didn't see or understand all of them, but I think all the prizewinners were very worthy. The ceremony also included magicians coming round to our tables and an incredible beat boxer!

courtney_cspark On t'train home now. It's been a really great experience, if you ever get a chance to go to EUCYS don't pass up on it! --3:05 PM Sep 16th from txt

Thus ends my EUCYS blog (before we caught the train we went back to Montmartre for a few hours for some last-minute shopping); I have to say that even if I hadn't won a prize, just experiencing the contest was a sufficient prize! As well as exploring Paris and taking in lectures and museums, I got to meet young scientists from all over the world (who I will hopefully keep in touch with via Facebook). I don't think I'll ever forget the experience!