Day 1: Up, up and awaaaaay!

Dear readers,

we've officially started! Yesterday was a very busy day, participants arriving all day, setting up the projects, the teambuilding, holding the opening ceremony and project presentations and finally forming the groups. After everything was done we asked for our newly formed groups to write down something about themselves and/or their impressions of the day behind them. All the groups choose a nickname by which they'll be known from now on. Read all about it in the following lines.

Petra & Neva

Arrival

Teambuilding - Green team was the most successful one

Team name: Killers (of superconductivity)

Captain: Tonci Cvitanic

Crew:  Luka Cusek, Jelena Nikolic, Stjepan Petrusa

The temperature is 40°C… The Sun is scorching us as we arrive at Vila Dora. A "warm" welcome is provided by the S3++ team. After we settled we hurried up to meet other participants. After the intro speech we were starving ad went to dinner. Delicious… sort of.
The project presentations left us breathless but we had to quickly sort ourselves out as the time came for the tough job of picking up the right project. So, here we are, in our lab, writing this novel, not expecting to travel. – Killers crew

The Madd and the Killers group leaders Damjan & Tonči 

Team name: Madd

Captain: Damjan Pelc

Crew: Anna Naszai, Domagoj Gajski, Matea Balabanovska

A warm feeling of happiness overwhelmed us from the very first moment we stepped onto Požega ground and it only got stronger throughout the day. Stepping into the classroom where Madd was conceived the air was filled with the most amazing of feelings. – Madd crew

Team name: Databetes

Captain: Lucija Klaric

Crew: Éva Bernadett Bényei, Monika Majstorovic, Ante Zarkovic

After a long day of traveling, getting to know each other, teambuilding and projects presentations we were placed in a group and we decided on the nickname Databetes because "Data Mining for Potential Diabetes Biomarkers" is way too long.

In the upcoming days we'll try to discover how to distinguish MODY patients from the rest of the diabetic population using statistical and data mining techniques. – Lucija

I'm a really positive person who loves challenges (like this project), science, sports (especially volleyball and skating), films and every kind of social activities. – Eva

My biggest hobby is music. I play an oboe and some piano, and trying to learn how to play a guitar with the help of the YouTube videos. Also, I'm a big fan of Doctor Who. – Monika

After hanging out with my friends all summer it's relaxing to be able to do something usefull. I'm glad to work on this project because I think I will gain the knowledge which I can use later on the University. – Ante

 

Eva

Teamname: The NanoCollective

Captain: Ruben Ramalho

Crew: Petra Bucic, Karla Carevic, Réka Karkas

The NanoCollective is formed! It's really late and we're very tired, but tomorrow we are going to kick ass and make nanoparticles. - The NanoCollective

Nanoparticles - detail from the project presentation

Teamname: The unpredictables

Captain: Renan Gross

Crew: Renata Puhac, Laviru Koruwakankanamge, Boris Majic

We woke up early, arrived by trains, cars or planes, and came tired, but ready for all lectures and workshops. Highlights of the day were very tasty but small-portioned dinner and teambuilding. We're eager to embark on tomorrow's challenges. Now we are tired and ready for morning workout. Thank you Petra and Neva for choosing us for this project. – The unpredictables

Double Trouble- detail from the project presentation

Team name: DNATRiX

Captain: Mateja Hajdinjak

Crew: Tonko Jakobovic, Michael Chiem, Francesc Gonzales

My name is Tonko and I’m from Požega, Croatia. I chose the DNA project because it’s an interesting combination of genetics and palaeontology. I’m looking forward to new discoveries and working with great people!
My name is Michaël and I’m from a place near Paris, France. I came to Croatia to gain some experience in the experimental field of science and I hope to learn a lot of things. I choose the DNA project because I love biology and I adored the DNA subject when I was in my High school.
My name is Francesc and I’m from Catalonia, Spain. I came to the Summer School of Science to complete a scientific experience that I started in Catalonia. I’ve chosen the project about ancient DNA because I love genetics and I think this is going to be useful for my future.

The captain of the DNATRiX crew Mateja during the Teambuilding

Team name: C3PU

Captain: Ivan Sovic

Crew: Simon Cossart, Filip Keri, Luka Kovač

Hello world! I come form Zagreb, Croatia. My fields of interest are physics, computer science and biology. Prior to this cam I had no experience with electronics and I hope that my programming knowledge will help me in this project. – Filip

Hello world! I come from Valpovo, Croatia. I’m most interested in computer science, but I also like physics and math. I wanted to attend this camp because I want to learn new things. – Luka K.

Hello world! I come from Toulouse in the south of France. My interests are physics, computer science and chemistry. – Simon

The captain of the C3PU trew Ivan during the Teambuilding