Luxembourg students shine at Genius Olympiad in New York
FJSL programme leader Guillaume Trap accompanied Ido, Tanay and Johann (left to right) on their trip to Rochester.
Luxembourg, 16 June 2025 - Three young scientists from the Fondation Jeunes Scientifiques Luxembourg (FJSL) just returned from an unforgettable week in Rochester, New York, where they proudly represented Luxembourg at the 2025 GENIUS Olympiad – an international competition dedicated to environmental and sustainability-focused projects.
Ido Somekh and Johann Bost brought home a Silver Medal for their joint research project titled “Modelling a V2B2G Electric Vehicle Network as a BESS substitute for National Microgrid Frequency and Stability Optimization in Luxembourg.” Their innovative work explores how electric vehicles can help stabilise national electricity grids by acting as decentralised energy storage units – a concept that has already caught the attention of the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST), which offered the pair an internship following their presentation.
“It was a great honour to be part of the first Luxembourg delegation and to come home with a silver medal,” said Johann. “We met people from all over the world and built real friendships.”
Ido added: “I really enjoyed presenting our work and learning from others. It was inspiring.” This trip also represented the second time Ido ever left the EU, he said, adding that “New York was definitely on my bucket list!”
Fellow member Tanay Karnik presented his independent project: “TEA AND THE BIODIVERSITY CRISIS: A Biological and Historical Analysis on the Consequences of Colonial British Tea Policy in Darjeeling, West Bengal.” His research explored the environmental impact of colonial-era tea cultivation practices on biodiversity in India.
“It was the first time I’d travelled this far to present a project, and I’m proud of what I shared,” said Tanay. “I made great connections with people from all over the world.” Tanay represented Luxembourg on stage at the opening ceremony and was able to meet other students interested in the subject through this.
The GENIUS Olympiad brings together students from across the globe to explore environmental challenges through science, art, engineering, business, and technology. This year’s edition featured over 1,200 finalists from 69 countries and 34 US states. Only the top 25% of science projects received medals (5% gold, 10% silver, 10% bronze), making Luxembourg’s silver win even more remarkable.
Beyond the competition, the students had the chance to explore some of upstate New York’s highlights – including a visit to Niagara Falls and even spending a night in a room once used by Nikola Tesla.
All three participants have been invited to submit their work to the International Journal of High School Research, a peer-reviewed publication dedicated to showcasing promising student-led research.
This was Luxembourg’s first time participating in the GENIUS Olympiad, made possible thanks to the support of the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Biodiversity (MECB), which sponsored the trip due to the strong environmental focus of the projects.
Sousana Eang, Director of the FJSL, shared her pride:
“I am so proud of our youths, though I had no doubt they would perform well. It is the first time we are sending a delegation to this fair, so coming home with a silver medal is proof that Luxembourg stands equal with other countries around the world!”
