Year after year, the Pupils’ University offers prospective students from the 10th grade the opportunity to explore various scientific fields at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg and to slip into the role of a student. During the technology week from August 08-12, 2022, under the motto “Engineer 4.0 – Shape the future!”, pupils were given an insight into the diversity of the study program in process engineering and chemical engineering.

After the welcome on Monday, the week started with an excursion into mechanical process engineering with exciting experiments on 3D analysis, characterization and image evaluation. In the evening, the participants got to talk to each other over a leisurely pizza dinner. On day 2, which was dedicated to thermal process engineering, the participants were able to explore and learn about the various methods of substance separation in a wide range of experiments on extraction and adsorption.

Project days at IEC
From Wednesday onwards, the IEC was also involved in the specializations of energy process engineering and chemical engineering. A guided tour of the Carbon Discovery Trail provided a thematic introduction. This was followed by two informative presentations on the questions “What does the catalytic converter have to do with making fire?” and “What will power tomorrow’s cars and airplanes?” before a well-deserved lunch break. In the afternoon, fuels and their exact composition were put under the microscope. Knowing that no reaction can take place without a reactor, the participants also learned how the environment can influence the course of a chemical reaction. How the high-temperature conversion processes taking place in the reactor can be predicted with computer support even without experiments was impressively demonstrated using the example of a fluidized bed. The day was rounded off with an annual highlight – test rides on our Segways gave visitors the opportunity to experience electromobility at first hand.

On Thursday, the students were given an insight into the processes and limits of conventional plastics recycling as well as the future-oriented research field of chemical recycling. The corresponding technologies were presented directly afterwards during a guided tour of our laboratories and large-scale plants HP-POX (synthesis gas production), STF (gasoline production) and SBV (gasification), which were marvelled at. The day was rounded off with an exploration of the city of Freiberg and a visit to the famous Terrra mineralia.

Excursion
The last day of the student university was used for an excursion to the KraftWerk – Dresdner Energie – Museum, which was an important center of Dresden’s power generation for many years. With the help of numerous exhibits, films and lectures, the more than 100-year-old history of Dresden’s gas supply was told here. In addition, those interested learned everything about the path of water – from the source to the drinking water treatment plant. Around noon, everyone returned to Freiberg, where a final barbecue rounded off the eventful week. In the subsequent feedback round, the students were enthusiastic.

We hope that the Pupils’ University will encourage many young people to take the plunge and study science or technology, so that they can play an active role in shaping their future in an exciting and varied everyday working life.

Would you also like to try out what it feels like to be a student and look over the shoulders of our scientists? – The next Pupil University will take place during the fall vacations!

School classes from the gymnasiums in Burgstädt, Nossen and the BSZ Freiberg visited our institute this week. The main attraction was our outdoor tour “Knowledge Journey Carbon”, where you can get information about the element carbon, its influence on our life, our prosperity, the climate and the environment. In addition, some classes listened to Florian Keller’s lecture on “Alternative fuels – what will we fill up with tomorrow?”. The tour of the large-scale test facilities located on the site also aroused great interest.
The technical part at the institute was usually rounded off with a campus tour and lunch in the canteen.

Are you still looking for a destination for your project day? – Then contact us! We can offer you a suitable program.

In hot summer temperatures, more than 5,000 visitors of all generations attended the Night of Science and Business on June 18, 2022. More than 150 program points at three locations delighted the young and old guests.

At the Schlossplatz, our scientific staff from the IEC showed how exciting the research topics are in the context of the energy and raw materials turnaround with presentations and hands-on experiments. Numerous children’s experiments for our young guests already showed the researchers of tomorrow. Another highlight were the Segway rides, where visitors could prove their skills in an obstacle course. Curious visitors tasted our home-brewed campus beer “Reicher Zecher” and spoke highly of it. All in all, all participants were able to show how many ideas & technologies there are for a more sustainable world – and above all, that science is fun!

For more information and photos, please visit the website of the Night of Science & Business.

Did you enjoy the event? Then we’ll see you in 2024 – at the next Night of Science & Business!

 

After 2019 and 2020, the 3rd Youth Climate Conference in Saxony took place this year on June 11 at the TU Chemnitz.  The Saxon state government has set itself the task of carefully examining efforts in climate protection, energy transition, mobility of the future and sustainability at regular intervals together with the young generation, to be in exchange and to realign goals. Students not only had the opportunity to talk to Minister President Michael Kretschmer, but were also able to inform themselves, discuss and gather new ideas on the topics of mobility of the future, energy transition and sustainability.

Our institute was also represented here by Prof. Martin Gräbner, who discussed in an info session on the topic of “E-Fuels – On the way to greenhouse gas-free mobility” the question of whether and how the production of synthetic fuel from CO2 and H2O with the help of electrical energy can help to achieve the CO2 emission targets, make electricity storable and continue to use existing cars, trucks, ships, aircraft.
In another lecture by our scientific assistant Ludwig Georg Seidl around the topic of “Chemical recycling of plastic waste”, the big questions for a sustainable society were discussed: What actually becomes of our plastic waste? How recyclable is plastic? How can high-quality plastic be produced from plastic waste?