First MINT ambassador is active - enquiries from schools are welcome

The BTU would like to motivate more students to study and later pursue a career in the fields of mathematics, computer science, natural sciences and technology (MINT). For this reason, a scholarship programme has been set up to recruit contact persons with a role model effect. Katharina Noatschk is an alumna with a role model effect. After completing her Bachelor's and Master's degree in physics, she is currently doing her doctorate at the Computational Physics Department under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Götz Seibold. Now she is a MINT ambassador for Faculty 1 - Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering and Information Technology.

"I see myself as an interface between the schools and the MINT chairs of our faculty, the Equal Opportunities Officer, the College as well as the Student Advisory Service, in order to promote MINT-interested students, especially young women, and to get them interested in one of our MINT degree programmes," explains Katharina Noatschk. "To do this, we first want to coordinate the offers of the college, the student advisory service and the MINT chairs of Faculty 1 and compile them in a database, which we will take to the schools next year."

Katharina Noatschk wants to raise awareness of the BTU's MINT degree programmes, communicate their diversity and opportunities for career development, and be a close contact for teachers and students. Trial lectures and theme days at schools, the involvement of students in experiments or projects, the supervision of seminar papers for higher grades and the establishment of contacts between successful graduates and students are all intended to help. As a young woman, Katharina Noatschk advises and supports female students in particular.

A good basis for her work is the experience that the MINT ambassador has already been able to gather through her own specialist lectures and her work in the school laboratory. Among other things, she was involved in organising the public series "Physics on Friday" and prepared physics topics for a non-academic audience.

In the new year, more MINT ambassadors will follow for Faculty 2 - Environment and Natural Sciences and Faculty 3 - Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Energy Systems.

Schools interested in collaborating with BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg in the MINT field can contact Katharina Noatschk about this now.