Renowned international researchers and university professors are currently participating in the 2025 editions of the APEXCHEMISTRY and APEXCHEMISTRY international camps, held in Bucharest and Resita, respectively.
According to a press release from the organizers, students attending these two international camps are working directly on the 2024 and 2025 editions alongside internationally recognized experts, including: Nobel Chemistry Laureate Jean-Marie Lehn, Marius Andruh (Romanian Academy), Adrian Salic (Harvard Medical School), Ivan Huc (Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich), Daniel P. Funeriu (University of Bucharest), Niculina Bogdan (Babes-Bolyai University), Mihaela Matache (University of Bucharest), Mihaela Florea (National Institute of Materials Physics, Bucharest), Olivier Schiffmann (Paris-Saclay), Andrei Negut (MIT and University of Lausanne), Anne Moreau (Paris-Saclay), Emanuele Macri (Paris-Saclay), Ana-Maria Castravet (Laboratoire de Mathématiques de Versailles), Alexis Bouthier (Sorbonne University), Dragos Fratila (University of Strasbourg), and Philippe Gille (CNRS, France).
The APEX - Academic Programme of Excellence is described as a large-scale, non-profit initiative that offers top-performing students from Romania and abroad - rigorously selected - access to high-level scientific education in a collaborative and interdisciplinary setting. Conceived by Daniel Funeriu and implemented in Romania by the InformART Association, the programs are developed in partnership with prestigious universities and research institutions such as IMAR, the Romanian Academy's Institute of Mathematics, Babes-Bolyai University, and the University of Bucharest.
The APEX programme is inspired by the vision of Nobel Laureate Sir Charles Sherrington, who emphasized that "it is essential to teach young people the right attitude toward the still-unsolved mysteries of science."
Courses are deepened through seminars and laboratory experiences, led by elite doctoral candidates and researchers from Romania and France.
A total of 135 students have been selected for APEX 2024 and APEX 2025. The two editions bring together participants from 11 countries: Romania, South Korea, the United States, Italy, Israel, France, Ukraine, Moldova, China, Canada, and Slovakia.
"APEX Chemistry 2025 has been a wonderful experience for me as a professor. I don't know of anything quite like it elsewhere. This group of high school students is genuinely enthusiastic about doing lab work and attending advanced chemistry lectures for three weeks in the middle of summer, at the University of Bucharest, rather than just enjoying a vacation. They're attentive, highly curious, and ask many questions about science, its applications, and the subjects they want to study in college. Congratulations to the entire APEX team for making this project happen in Romania," Ivan Huc of Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, APEXCHEMISTRY professor was quoted as saying in the press release.
"I am happy to be teaching as part of this excellent initiative, APEX, and I hope all students take part in the fantastic adventure of science. Great work in Romania - congratulations and keep this outstanding project alive!<" said Nobel Laureate Jean-Marie Lehn (1987), APEXCHEMISTRY professor, according to the same source.
"With APEX, we aim to prove that Romania can be a natural home for scientific excellence. Together with InformART and generous sponsors, I believe we are succeeding in this endeavor," said Daniel Funeriu, APEX initiator.
Comentează