Whanganui Intermediate student Mia Perkins has won the 2016 science prize for her Symphonic Sewage project.
Mia's winning study measured the effects of music on bacteria growth and how Mozart's Die Zauberflote (The Magic Flute) was more effective than other music.
As far-fetched as it may sound, Mia's project was based on current practice at sewage plants in Austria and Germany.
A fluent speaker of German language, Mia consulted with Anton Stucki, chief operator of the sewage centre in Treuenbrietzen, near Berlin who started playing Mozart at the plant seven years ago.
"He was really pleased to know that I wanted to base my research on his work and he asked me to send him my data," said Mia.