STEM Talents Visit the Max Planck Institute in Marburg
Within the framework of the 41st Erfinderlabor (Inventors’ Lab) organized by the Zentrum für Chemie (ZFC), Prof. Dr. Helge Bode at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg provided high school students with insights into research and daily operations at a research institute.
The Erfinderlabor (Inventors’ Lab) is a one-week practical workshop within the ZFC initiative “School 3.0 – STEM for Future.” This year, 16 high school students spent three days addressing current research questions in the life sciences.
Instead of simplified school experiments, the students spent a week working in research groups at Philipps University of Marburg. They were introduced to scientific methods and developed and tested their own approaches. They also learned that research does not always produce expected results.
The Erfinderlabor supports high-achieving students and provides concrete prospects for higher education and careers. On August 19, the workshop week began with a tour of the Aenova production site in Marburg, where students gained insights into industrial drug development and career opportunities in the pharmaceutical industry. At the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, Director Prof. Dr. Helge Bode offered a comprehensive overview of scientific methods and academic career paths. “This combination of research, communication, and career guidance defines the Erfinderlabor,” stated Meike Jäger, member of the ZFC executive board.
Can viruses combat dangerous bacteria? How can tumor cells be targeted effectively? Can active substances be formulated to act precisely where needed? Could stress-affected stem cells protect other cells? On August 21, the eight female and eight male students presented their answers to guests from science, politics, education, and business. The event took place in the Alte Aula at Philipps University of Marburg, a historic venue with a longstanding tradition of teaching and research. The students delivered concise and clear presentations of their work developed during a week of intensive laboratory research.
“Scientific knowledge alone is not enough. You also have to be able to communicate it in a way that even non-experts can understand its significance,” said Dr. Thomas Schneidermeier, Executive Director of the ZFC. “In this age of fake news, we need this kind of knowledge communication more than ever.”
The program aims to strengthen students’ STEM-based critical thinking skills in addressing socially relevant issues and to provide authentic career guidance. It also seeks to empower young people to use STEM knowledge to identify deliberately spread fake news online. After the workshop, the results will be compiled into explanatory videos for use in regular classes.
About the “Zentrum der Chemie“
The Zentrum der Chemie (Center for Chemistry, ZFC) is a nonprofit organization. For more than 20 years, the ZFC has conducted projects in collaboration with schools, universities, research institutes, companies, associations, foundations, and ministries. Integrating socially relevant topics into regular classroom instruction improves career guidance, supports the supply of STEM professionals, and enables students to analyze news using STEM knowledge. For more information, visit www.z-f-c.de.
