Summer Semester 2026 – Highlights from the Module “Communication of Science & Technology” in cooperation with the Institute of Energy Process Engineering & Chemical Engineering, TU Bergakademie Freiberg
In SS 2026, DTI collaborated with the Institute of Energy Process Engineering & Chemical Engineering at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg (IEC) to expose BTU students attending the “Communication of Science & Technology Module” to innovations in the field of chemical recycling in the form of waste gasification, and to enable insights into how it could contribute to and support Germany’s decarbonization and transformation towards sustainable chemistry. Objective is to use this topic as the focus for hands-on practical application of the science communication concepts which students have learnt in the module for their project work.
Besides a guest lecture at the BTU by Prof. Martin Gräbner (Institute Director of IEC), students also had the opportunity for a site visit and technical tour to the unique gasification technology pilot-scale platform at IEC in Freiberg. During the site visit, BTU students visited IEC’s laboratory facilities to find out more about the range of carbon-containing waste materials that can be used for waste gasification, and the pre-treatment they will require in order to be fed into the waste gasifier for conversion into syngas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen). Syngas is a highly valuable and flexible intermediate raw material which can then be subsequently utilized for the production of a wide range of products ranging from plastics, chemicals to sustainable transportation fuels. Additionally, the students also had the opportunity to learn more about different gasification technologies, and climbed to the top of the FlexiSlag pilot gasifier which at about 25m in height (up to 1.4 tons/hour feedstock input, 10 MW), is the largest solid feed gasifier in the EU today. Last but not least, BTU students are also taken around the Carbon Discovery Trail, a physical trail which is developed by IEC to showcase the role of carbon in our lives, the problems which carbon utilization is causing today, as well as innovations which IEC is working on for a sustainable carbon transition.
During the site visit to IEC in Freiberg, students were thus able to gain first hand experiences about waste gasification. Besides gaining valuable insights from their exchanges with IEC experts, they also had the opportunity to take live materials (i.e., photos and videos) for their science communication project.
As part of their assignments, each project group then developed a short (2min) science communication video focusing on one of the three topics namely:
- Why waste gasification, or
- The waste gasification process, or
- Alternative feedstocks for waste gasification.
The task was to develop a video to expose, explain and draw awareness/interest to this topic to one of the following audience groups:
- Kids between 8-10 years old;
- Young adults between 14-18 years old;
- Politicians.
Some selected videos which BTU students have developed are shared here. Have a look and see if you can identify if they’re targeted at kids, young adults or politicians!
IMPORTANT: Please note that the science communication videos have been developed by BTU students as part of their project work in the module. The students are wholly responsible for the content of their videos. Neither DTI nor IEC is responsible for the accuracy or completeness of the information and references which are being utilized by the students in their videos.