Finalists selected for the 2014 Eureka! Sir Paul Callaghan Awards. The Eureka! Sir Paul Callaghan Awards are now in their third year, and 2014 marks the first year that regional competitions were held prior to the national symposium event. After an intensive selection process, twelve finalists have been selected to compete in the Eureka! Sir Paul Callaghan Awards national symposium on the 10th of October in Wellington. The finalists were selected from the pool of highly commended award winners from the regional competitions. It was no easy task to select only twelve finalists from the high calibre regional presentations that were delivered throughout July. The finalists that have been selected represent every region that took part in the regional competitions, and will present a wide range of topics for the judges to consider at the national symposium. “The finalists that have been selected show creative thinking and innovation skills that show the great potential for New Zealand’s future in the hands of our young people” says Eureka! National convenor, Francis Wevers. The aim of the Eureka! Sir Paul Callaghan Awards is to provide passionate and talented young New Zealanders with a platform to present their ideas and persuade others that their proposition can provide economic, social and environmental benefit for New Zealand. This is in line with the goal of the namesake of the competition, Sir Paul Callaghan, who desired to make New Zealand a place where talent wants to live. The Eureka! Sir Paul Callaghan Awards national symposium is a free event, and will be held at Massey University, Wellington on Friday October 10. Finalists Name Jack Wynne Educational Institute St. Patricks College, Wellington Shalini Guleria James Rice Rochelle Molina Sam Hall-McMaster Emilie Sedelmayr Grant McNaughton Univeristy of Waikato University of Canterbury University of Waikato University of Otago Takapuna Grammar School Logan Park High School Siska Falconer Rachael Wiltshire Te Kura, The Correspondence School University of Auckland Presentation Topic Quantum Revolution: Using quantum mechanics to revolutionise New Zealand. NKC complex reovirus New Zealand border security Fish scales as bioplastic Nanotechnology Fuelling our future The importance of scientific literacy The evolution of superbugs We need to talk: Powering New Zealand’s future 19/8/2014 Max Li Scots College Joel Falconer Ryan Ridden-Harper Te Kura, The Correspondence School University of Canterbury Development of a bioelectric generator Antioxidants Recovering the night 19/8/2014