Passed with flying colors: first acid test for the new DLR_School_Lab

Thus opened the day before the DLR_School_Lab - the state-of-the-art school laboratory of the German Aerospace Center - opened its doors to them for the first time. The pupils went on a journey into the world of weightlessness, studied solar thermal energy and heat storage systems, making their own pocket warmer, and used VR glasses to explore the International Space Station in the ISS mission. For part of the group, parallel experiments on the topic of water were on the agenda at the Institute of Environmental and Process Engineering under the direction of Dr. Konrad Thürmer.

Prof. Dr. Peer Schmidt, Vice President for Studies and Teaching at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, emphasizes: "After the worthy opening of the DLR_School_Lab at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, we are now starting regular operation of the school lab. Our first visitors are pupils from STEM schools of excellence who have traveled to Lusatia as part of the current Capital City Forum of our cooperation partner MINT-EC to conduct experiments at the BTU. I am very much looking forward to seeing the lively activity of the opening days continue and a large number of interested students experiencing fascinating and exciting things in the new DLR_School_Lab at the BTU."

Enthusiastic about the possibilities offered by DLR_School_Lab at BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg, participants of the first experiment day gave their impressions.

For example, Ema Blesene, who attends the 11th grade at the Gymnasium Ulricianum in Aurich, came to the BTU to gain experience in preparation for studying physics. She finds the virtual visit to the ISS particularly interesting. She sees her expectations completely fulfilled: "I can only recommend a visit to the DLR_School_Lab at the BTU to anyone."

Marvin Gehrke from grade 11 at the Europaschule Bornheim is very interested in space travel. He would like to talk to his physics teacher and visit DLR_School_Lab again with the whole class. He has already been to DLR_School_Lab in Bonn, and his interest was further strengthened in Cottbus.

"It was just a great day," explains Mimmi Mosch from grade 12 at the Pelizaeus-Gymnasium in Paderborn. She became aware of DLR_School_Lab through the Internet. The high school graduate finds the physical facts behind the experiments particularly exciting. She wants to tell others about her experiences.

The MINT-EC Capital Forum 2023 "MINT for a future worth living", will take place on March 2 and 3, 2023 with students* and teachers from the MINT-EC network from all over Germany at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association in Berlin and at participating institutions. On the part of the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg it is supported by the Center for Student Recruitment and Student Support - (Collage) is involved in the project.

DLR_School_Lab BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg
Experience the future - here and now! Under this motto, the DLR_School_Lab BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg invites students to an excursion into the world of research. The experiments in the Cottbus DLR_School_Lab are aligned with the main research areas of the DLR institutes in Cottbus and the profile lines of the BTU. The young people carry out the experiments in small groups. The "research visits", which usually last about six hours, are rounded off by short age-appropriate lectures and films. Teachers can select suitable experiments for their students. Registration is now possible at DLR.de/schoollab/cottbus