Bayreuth pupil student receives prize for computer science
On June 29, 2024, the Dr. Hans Riegel Prizes were awarded at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) in Erlangen for particularly good scientific work by upper secondary school students. Thomas Miller, a pupil student at the University of Bayreuth, was awarded first prize in computer science.
Pupil Thomas Miller and his teacher Manuela Deuerlein.
As part of his seminar paper at the Markgräfin-Wilhelmine-Gymnasium Bayreuth, Thomas Miller dealt with "Rubic's Cube", the well-known magic cube. He designed a website that first captures the well-known puzzle game using a camera. The program he created then determines a solution for the twisted cube, which is then presented on the website as a step-by-step guide. In this way, even inexperienced Rubik's Cube fans can solve the cube problem clearly and easily.
The expert jury emphasized at the award ceremony: "[... In the paper] ... not only are the theoretical principles explained in detail, but the practical implementation of the solution is also clearly presented. [...] Mr. Miller has not only written a paper that shows a high degree of personal achievement, but also meets clear scientific standards."
Thomas Miller used the JSXGraph software library (www.jsxgraph.org) developed at the Chair of Mathematics and its Didactics at the University of Bayreuth and at the Research Center for Mobile Learning with Digital Media to capture the Rubik's Cube.
As a pupil student, Thomas Miller attended courses on WWW use and programming with Prof. Dr. Alfred Wassermann (University of Bayreuth). The topics covered there formed the technical basis for the seminar paper. Prof. Wassermann took over the supervision of the work from the university side, the computer science teacher Manuela Deuerlein (Markgräfin-Wilhelmine-Gymnasium) accompanied the work from the school side.
Pupil studies at the University of Bayreuth
Thomas Miller completed the University Advanced Level at Bayreuth's Markgräfin-Wilhelmine-Gymnasium. This is a pilot project in which selected pupils attend relevant courses at the University of Bayreuth as part of the scientific preparatory seminars and the project seminars (W and P seminars) and also complete the coursework at the university for admission to the Abitur. The W-seminar work is developed in close cooperation with lecturers at the University of Bayreuth, who also supervise the work. Students also have the opportunity to attend regular university courses and acquire the relevant qualifications, which can then be credited to their later studies.