Science and Engineering Program for Teachers Thuringia, Short Name SEPT Thuringia

Move into the hotel room

• Registration of conference participants (NYX Hotel Erfurt)
• from 16:30 guided walk to the guided tours
  Start: NYX Hotel Erfurt, Juri-Gagarin-Ring 127, 99084 Erfurt

1. Visit and small experiments at the student research center at the FH Erfurt

Student Research Center at Erfurt University of Applied Sciences,
Altonaer Straße 25, 99085 Erfurt

2. Mysterious paths over and through the baroque city fortress (guided tour through the listening corridors)
   Kommandantenhaus – exhibition visitor center on the citadel plateau, Petersberg 3, 99084 Erfurt

3. Guided tour of the MDR regional broadcasting center in Erfurt

State Broadcasting Center Thuringia,
Gothaer Straße 36, 99094 Erfurt

4. Guided tour egapark

egapark, Gothaer Straße 38, 99094 Erfurt

Opening speeches from 19:15:

• Dr. Sven Günther, Chairman, Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia
• Rainer Linden, MIT Club of Germany e. V.
• Barbecue buffet with drinks and music

Arrival with coffee

Registration of conference participants

Dr. Sven Günther | Chairman of the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia

Superconductivity – from phenomenon to key technology of the 21st century

Dr. Johannes Georg Bednorz

IBM Fellow Emeritus, IBM Research, Zurich (Switzerland)

On the subject

Soon after the discovery of superconductivity a century ago, ambitious plans for large-scale applications were developed. However, low transition temperatures, low critical currents and high sensitivity to magnetic fields proved to be insurmountable obstacles. Thus, superconductivity remained a scientific curiosity for decades until the late 1970s, when new intermetallic superconductors opened up the possibility of developing powerful magnets for solid-state research and medical instruments. But even after decades of searching for materials with higher critical temperatures, superconductivity remained a low-temperature phenomenon. A paradigm shift in the research strategy for new materials, using oxides instead of metals, led to the discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in a new class of materials and gave new impetus to the research field. After the discovery, decades of research led to the development of the new superconductors into high-performance materials that today form the basis of a superconductor industry. With its convincing advantages in the generation, transmission and distribution of electrical energy as well as in efficient industrial processes, superconductor technology has the potential to shape the entire energy sector. Here, it can make a significant contribution to the transition to a fully electric society in order to combat the environmental problems associated with climate change.

About the person

Georg Bednorz, born on May 16, 1950 in Neuenkirchen (NRW), received his diploma in crystallography and mineralogy from the University of Münster in 1975. In 1977, he moved to the Institute of Solid State Physics at ETH Zurich to study for his doctorate. Here he devoted himself to research into structural phase transformations and the dielectric and ferroelectric properties of oxides with a perovskite structure. In 1982 he joined the IBM research laboratory in Zurich, where he had already spent several research periods during his studies in Münster. Here he was able to apply his experience with perovskites directly to current research projects. In 1983, together with Alex Müller, his doctoral supervisor and then new partner, he began the search for superconductivity in conductive perovskites, an ambitious project with an uncertain outcome. After three years, both researchers sensationally and completely surprisingly succeeded in detecting superconductivity in Cu-oxide-containing ceramics at surprisingly high transition temperatures. For this discovery of high-temperature superconductivity in 1986, both were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics the very next year.

Free-flowing rivers as the key to biodiversity and climate adaptation

Prof. Dr. Sonja Jähnig

Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)

On the subject

Watercourses are dynamic ecosystems characterized by longitudinal, lateral and vertical connectivity as well as temporal fluctuations. This connectivity makes watercourses particularly fascinating habitats and enables extraordinary biological diversity. However, this connectivity is increasingly being restricted worldwide by the construction of dams, straightening, bank stabilization and dykes. Only a small proportion of large rivers are still considered (completely) free-flowing today. Fragmentation interrupts animal migration, changes sediment flows, separates floodplains from the river and impairs the natural flow dynamics of the water – with consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem functions and our resilience to extreme climatic events.

This presentation provides an insight into how our rivers could flow freely again, the associated challenges, but also their benefits for people and nature. It is not only about ecological issues, but also about conflicts of interest with energy production, land use and water management. Integrative approaches aimed at restoring connectivity, dismantling obsolete barriers and reactivating floodplains play a central role. This is because such measures can not only promote biodiversity, but also strengthen flood protection, water availability and climate adaptation. This makes free-flowing rivers an important basis for sustainable development and social services of general interest.

About the person

Sonja Jähnig has been acting head of the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) since October 2025 and is Professor of Aquatic Ecogeography at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. After completing her doctorate at the University of Duisburg-Essen, she worked as a research assistant at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Wuhan and at the Senckenberg Research Institute in Frankfurt before joining IGB as a research group leader in 2014. Sonja Jähnig researches the effects of global change on river ecosystems and biodiversity in inland waters. One focus of her work is the development of interdisciplinary models that investigate changes in rivers at different spatial scales – from individual river sections to entire catchment areas and continental river networks. She considers different groups of organisms, from invertebrates to fish and freshwater megafauna, and develops concepts for nature conservation under changing environmental conditions.

System of flowing waters

Prof. Dr. Sonja Jähnig

Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)

Angelina Tittmann + Nadja Neumann

Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)

The functioning of the brain seen through the eye of the fly

Prof. Dr. Marion Silies

Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz Institute of Developmental Biology and Neurobiology (iDN)

On the topic

I am fascinated by the question of how the brain processes information in order to control appropriate behavior under constantly changing conditions. The human brain is a complex structure, with billions of neurons interconnected by even more connections. To reduce this complexity, we study the brain of the fruit fly, which consists of only ~100,000 neurons but enables many different behaviors. As a milestone in brain research, a complete connectome of the fly brain was published two years ago for the first time. This means that we now know *all* the nerve cells in the fly brain and how they are connected to each other. I will talk about this work and use the fly’s visual system as an example to explain how this allows us to understand neural circuits and their tasks in a comprehensive way.

If you are curious about how (or skeptical about whether) one can learn about the general functioning of the brain through research on the eye of the fly, I look forward to seeing you at the lecture.

About the person

Marion Silies researches the neuronal basis of visual perception. Her work focuses on how nerve cells in the visual system process sensory stimuli and translate them into behavior, mostly using the fruit fly Drosophila as a model system. Marion Silies has been researching and teaching as Professor of Neurobiology and Head of the Neural Circuits Lab at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) since the beginning of 2019. She was previously a group leader at the European Neuroscience Institute in Göttingen. As a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University, she characterized motion perception circuits and established a genetic toolkit that in principle allows genetic access to every cell type in the brain. Marion Silies studied biology and completed her doctorate in neurobiology in Münster. She has been awarded several prestigious prizes and grants for her scientific work. In addition to research and teaching, she is also involved in promoting young scientists, e.g. as a member of the national Jugend forscht jury, with the aim of inspiring schoolchildren for STEM subjects.

Thuringian mineral resources: between landscapes, architecture and innovation

Dr. Agnese Fazio

Student Research Center Nordhausen

Coordination STEM Region Northern Thuringia

Mareike Naylor

Kyffhäuser National GeoPark

Hands-on workshop

Thuringia mineral resources: between landscapes, architecture and innovation

(Friday, 19.06.2026, 14:15 – 16:00 hrs.

Saturday, 20.06.2026, 10:45 – 12:30)

On the topic

In this workshop, we will take a new look at Thuringia – at its landscape, its cultural and innovative history and the interactions between natural space and human use.

In the first part, you will learn about four Earth Learning Ideas(ELI) that have been specially adapted or developed for Thuringia. These compact, didactically clearly structured teaching impulses can be used immediately, promote technical understanding and critical thinking and can be used flexibly in different class levels. The materials are inexpensive, suitable for everyday use and can be used in the classroom or specialist room as well as outside without much preparation – ideal for group work, learning stations, demonstrations or playful approaches.

In the second part, we work with geowindow, an innovative teaching medium for all science subjects. Together we will model the formation and development of the karst – a natural phenomenon that has significantly shaped Thuringia’s landscape, ecology and economy and is still of great importance today. You will receive concrete suggestions on how to communicate complex processes in a clear and sustainable way.

The workshop combines in-depth specialist knowledge with directly implementable teaching ideas and invites you to discover Thuringia from a new perspective. It is primarily aimed at teachers of MNT and geography. At the same time, teachers from all subject areas are expressly welcome, as a sustainable understanding of scientific processes thrives on interdisciplinary impulses.

About the people

Dr. Agnese Fazio is an employee of the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia and studied geosciences at the University of Pisa and received her doctorate from the same university in 2015 with a thesis on naturally shock-deformed rocks from the Kamil impact crater (Egypt). From 2015 to 2023 she worked at the Institute of Geosciences at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, where she was involved in various projects in the field of planetary mineralogy. She has been working at STIFT since October 2023 and is the contact person for the Nordhausen Student Research Center and STEM Coordination North Thuringia. She has been Geoscience Education Field Officer (GEFO) for Germany since March 2026. This is a voluntary program of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) to promote geoscience training for teachers, student teachers and extracurricular staff (e.g. museums, geoparks).

Mareike Naylor studied Applied Geosciences at the Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg and the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg. In her Master’s thesis, which she completed in 2012, she dealt with the age dating of rutile minerals (TiO2) and the provenance research of these minerals at a gold deposit in Brazil. After the first years of professional experience in exploration at the company Sachsenzinn GmbH and research on rare earths at the Bavarian State Office for the Environment, she moved to England in 2016. She has been working as GeoPark Manager of the Kyffhäuser National Geopark since 2018 and has also been working for the Thuringian Ministry for the Environment, Energy, Nature Conservation and Forestry in the Kyffhäuser and Südharz Nature Parks since 2022, which she has also managed since January 2026.

Climate you can touch: Creating lively lessons with the climate case

Dr. Anne Kopp

Student Research Center Gotha Coordination STEM Region West Thuringia

Susanne Seupel

Student Research Center Gera

Coordination STEM region East Thuringia

Jutta Reger

Biology and chemistry teacher at Goethegymnasium Weimar

On the topic

In this workshop, the climate case is presented as a practical tool for climate education in schools. Selected experiments will be used to show how topics such as the causes and consequences of climate change can be dealt with simply and vividly in the classroom.

Some of the contents of the climate case are tested together in practice and then discussed with a view to their use in the classroom. We will also look at how the materials can be integrated into different subjects and year groups.

In addition, the workshop offers the opportunity for professional exchange and to develop your own ideas for the classroom. The aim is to get to know the climate case as a helpful material that is suitable for everyday use.

About the people

Dr. Anne Kopp is an employee of the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia and studied biology at the Friedrich Schiller University and received her doctorate in 2012 at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology Hans Knöll Institute in Jena with a thesis on the protein interaction of components of the complement system, as part of the innate immune response. From 2013 to 2023, she worked as a scientist at Abbott Rapid Diagnostics Jena GmbH on the research and development of diagnostic tests for infectious diseases (such as HIV and HCV). Since June 2024, she has been working at the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia (STIFT) and is the contact person for the Gotha Student Research Center and STEM Thuringia Coordination West Thuringia.

Jutta Reger studied biology and chemistry at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen and completed her teacher training at Georg-Simon-Ohm-Gymnasium in Erlangen. She then worked at Helene-Lange-Gymnasium in Fürth and Gymnasium Oberhaching near Munich before moving to Goethegymnasium Weimar in Thuringia in 2008. Since the 2021/22 school year, she has been working as a chemistry subject advisor. As part of the NWuT lessons at Goethegymnasium, she leads a Junior Engineer Academy (JIA), which is funded by the Telekom Foundation. The topics of “sustainable construction” and “sustainable energy supply” are at the heart of this, but dealing with climate change using the climate suitcases has also become an important element of the JIA lessons.

Susanne Seupel is an employee of the Thuringia Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research and studied chemistry at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. The focus of her doctorate was polymer and sugar chemistry. Whether during her studies or in the doctoral process, she was always willing and able to pass on her knowledge and practical experience to interested students. Students in her minor subject benefited from this, as did prospective chemists and chemistry teachers in their state examinations. She has made passing on knowledge her profession: since August 2020, she has been inspiring young researchers to discover the secrets of molecules in working groups and research clubs as head of the Gera Student Research Center.

“The country needs engineers!”

Frank Beinersdorf

Student research center at the FH Erfurt

Coordination STEM Region Central Thuringia

Off-site: SFZ at the FH Erfurt, Altonaer Str. 25, 9.E.02 House 9, Ground Floor Room 02

On the subject

In this hands-on workshop, we will explore how 3D design using CAD and 3D printing can be used as effective entry-level tools for engineering thinking. We will take a brief look at various 3D design tools, from intuitive entry-level programs to cloud solutions, and briefly discuss their pros and cons for use in the classroom.

The focus will be on the concept of parametric design . In contrast to direct modeling, the parametric approach allows objects to be precisely defined using variables and geometric rules. This not only trains logical understanding, but also reflects real engineering procedures.

After a short introduction, we will work together on simple practical examples and finally transfer our digital designs into the real world using 3D printing.

Notes for participants: The workshop is aimed at all teachers who are looking for an introduction to the topic. Previous specialist knowledge is not required, effective use of graphical user interfaces is sufficient. If possible, bring your own laptop with the Windows operating system and a computer mouse. We also have some equipment on site.

About the person

Frank Beinersdorf completed his degree in mechatronics engineering at the Ilmenau University of Technology in 2007 with a thesis on walking robotics. Enthusiastic about this subject area, he moved to the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence Bremen. He worked at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence in Bremen, where he was active in the field of walking robotics until 2012 – interrupted by a one-year stay in New Zealand as an animatronics engineer. He then worked as a freelance engineer in Berlin, followed by a stint as a research assistant at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He then moved back to New Zealand, where he taught mechatronics at the Wellington Institute of Technology from 2014. At the same time, he continued to work freelance, including for MechAdept Ltd (robot prototypes for research), where he later joined full-time. In 2022, he returned to his home country and has been working at the Thuringia Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research since September 2024.

Superfood – super experiments!

Dr. Christina Walther

Management witelo e.V.

Student Research Center Jena

On the subject

This workshop focuses on three popular superfoods: turmeric, chia seeds and spirulina powder. The chemical properties and biological effects of the ingredients are investigated using simple materials and safe experiments. The experiments are relevant to everyday life, inspire amazement and offer numerous references to the Thuringian curriculum: Chemistry (properties of substances, detection reactions), Biology (photosynthesis, cell types), MNT/NWuT (experimenting with natural substances).

About the person

Dr. rer. nat. Dr. phil. Christina Walther studied biochemistry in Leipzig and Cork (Ireland). From 2006 to 2012, she worked at Imaginata Jena and as a research assistant at the Chair of School Education and School Development at Friedrich Schiller University Jena. Among other things, she was responsible for the educational support of the Imaginata station park.

She has been coordinator of the network of scientific and technical learning locations in Jena (witelo) since 2012 and managing director of witelo e.V. since 2016. As head of the Jena Student Research Centre and coordinator of the Jena STEM-BiT (STEM – Education and Participation) cluster, she organizes a wide range of STEM activities for children and young people in Jena and the surrounding area.

More than water and riverbanks: Workshop on the watercourse system (only on 19.06.)

Angelina Tittmann + Nadja Neumann

Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB)

On the subject

Rivers and their floodplains are among the most species-rich ecosystems. However, human intervention such as straightening and dyke construction has severely restricted their natural dynamics. Today, only 32 percent of the original floodplains in Germany have been preserved. In view of climate change, however, these are becoming increasingly important. Their ability to absorb large amounts of water and release it again with a time delay makes them a natural protective shield against floods and droughts. Revitalization measures can restore natural processes and create diverse habitats at the same time.

In our practice-oriented workshop, we will therefore look at the interactions within the watercourse system. Using specific teaching materials and scientific data, we will jointly plan a teaching unit for lower secondary level. The focus will be on skills that enable pupils to describe interrelationships in ecosystems, assess the environmental consequences of human intervention and reflect on possible solutions.

The relocation of the dyke in the Lenzener Elbtalaue serves as a practical example. Here, an area of around 420 hectares was reconnected to the natural river dynamics. What are the consequences? Who benefits – and who faces challenges? How can the use and protection of river landscapes be sustainably reconciled? The workshop offers space for exchange and discussion on these and other water and water body issues.

About the people

Nadja Neumann and Angelina Tittmann work in the Communication and Knowledge Transfer team at IGB in Berlin, Germany’s largest research center for inland waters. Both support projects and events in environmental education and develop teaching materials and training courses for teachers. The starting point for this is current research findings: How can we maintain bodies of water in good ecological condition? What living conditions do animals and plants need in bodies of water? And how can people use rivers and lakes sustainably? Angelina Tittmann and Nadja Neumann are also contact persons for cooperation between art and science and publish in the journal Unterricht Biologie.

Accompanying Jugend forscht – discovering potential, developing ideas (only on 19.06.)

Christina Heß

Student Research Center Rudolstadt

Coordination STEM Region Southeast Thuringia

On the subject

Project-based learning gives pupils the opportunity to pursue their own interests, contribute their individual strengths and work independently. Formats such as “Jugend forscht” create a particularly motivating framework for this.

Getting started in project management often raises practical questions: How do I start? What role do I take on? And how do I accompany open work processes in a meaningful way?

This workshop supports you in finding a secure and realistic start as a project supervisor – building on your professional and pedagogical expertise.

The focus is on creative and tried-and-tested methods for finding topics: How do initial research questions arise from everyday observations? And how can you support students in developing and pursuing their own ideas?

You will actively participate, take a look at your role and learn simple approaches on how to get started with project supervision, develop initial research questions together with your students and provide good support for open work processes.

You will take away immediately applicable methods, clear orientation and confidence for your first own “Jugend forscht” projects.

For teachers who want to accompany their students in the development and implementation of their own projects and want to find a safe introduction to project supervision.

About the person

Christina Heß is an employee of the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia and an experienced computer scientist with a strong passion for the natural sciences. After studying computer science, she decided to deepen her expertise as a freelance software developer. Her curiosity for scientific topics has always accompanied her. Christina Heß has been passionately involved in STEM working groups at primary and secondary schools since 2018. At the same time, she began supporting young talents in the development and implementation of their projects in the field of science, e.g. for the Jugend forscht competition. Since then, she has supervised over 50 Jugend forscht projects. Her enthusiasm for working with children was so great that she changed career direction in 2020 and has been the director of the Rudolstadt Student Research Center ever since. Since 2021, she has been a co-developer of the ForscherIno game, which is being created as part of the Telekomwerkstatt Neues lernen.

Dr. Corinna Kufner

Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology

On the topic

Are we alone in the universe? And how did life on earth come about in the first place? These key questions have occupied many of us since childhood and we still don’t know the answers.

From our Earth history and observations from space, we have an idea of what the early Earth might have looked like and what its surface consisted of. However, how living cells could have developed from these primordial soup ingredients is a major challenge for modern science. The lecture shows what role light could have played in the formation process of essential biomolecules such as DNA, RNA or peptides and their functions. Solar radiation may have played a key role in the formation and selection of biomolecules, but is often overlooked even though it was abundant on the surface of the early Earth. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation in particular has the ability to disrupt chemical reactions, but also to open up new reaction pathways.

This lecture offers a comprehensive overview of the current challenges in the interdisciplinary research field of the origins of life and outlines the potential of photochemistry in this context.

About the person

Corinna Kufner conducts interdisciplinary research into the origin of life under the influence of light. Corinna Kufner has been a professor at Friedrich Schiller University Jena since 2026 and heads the “Photonic Abiogenesis” department at the Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology in Jena. Previously, she led a junior research group funded by the Carl-Zeiss Nexus Program and Leibniz Best Minds Junior Research Groups. As a postdoctoral researcher, she worked with Prof. Dimitar Sasselov in the Department of Astronomy at Harvard University. Corinna Kufner received her doctorate in physics from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich under Prof. Wolfgang Zinth. Outside of her academic activities, Corinna Kufner is an enthusiastic alumna and member of the state jury for Jugend forscht, plays the cello, volleyball and dances standard and Latin American dances.

Peatlands and permafrost: functions and developments with a focus on Arctic regions

Dr. Nathalie Ylenia Triches
Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena

On the subject

Peatlands are among the most fascinating and at the same time most important ecosystems on earth. They are formed over thousands of years by the accumulation of dead plant material under wet, low-oxygen conditions. As a result, they store enormous amounts of carbon and act as significant carbon sinks – they store up to 30 % of global soil carbon, although they only cover around 3 % of the land surface. In the Arctic in particular, peatlands play a central role in the global climate system, as they bind large amounts of organic carbon in the frozen ground (permafrost).

However, it is precisely this function that is increasingly threatened by climate change. Rising temperatures are causing permafrost soils to thaw and peatlands to dry out. This accelerates the decomposition of organic matter and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane are released. Peatlands can thus turn from carbon sinks into emission sources and exacerbate climate change. In addition, many peatlands have been and continue to be drained and used for agriculture.

The lecture will shed light on the formation and ecological significance of peatlands, with a particular focus on the Arctic regions. It will also discuss the effects of climate change on these sensitive ecosystems and why their protection is crucial for the stability of our global climate.

About the person

Dr. Nathalie Ylenia Triches is a young scientist in the field of atmospheric and environmental research with a focus on biogeochemical cycles, ecology and greenhouse gas fluxes. She works at the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena and is part of an international research group investigating global material cycles. Her research focuses on the identification of factors influencing greenhouse gas emissions in permafrost regions, whereby her dissertation at the University of Helsinki (2026) made an important contribution to the understanding of climate-relevant processes. In addition to the physical and chemical analysis of ecosystems, she is particularly interested in the biodiversity and ecology of degraded or endangered ecosystems. She believes that a deep understanding of these systems is crucial to preserve their resilience. Her research has a strong interdisciplinary focus and integrates human impacts, such as land use change or climate change, as well as the practical application of scientific knowledge for sustainable solutions and climate change mitigation measures.

NYX Hotel Erfurt

Arrival with coffee

Registration of conference participants

Miniature magnetism: ultra-small, ultra-fast and ultra-exciting!

Dr. Lisa-Marie Kern

MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology

On the subject

Our world is full of invisible wonders – from the Earth’s magnetic fields to tiny vortices in materials just a few nanometers in size. How do such vortex structures form and how can they be controlled? In this lecture, we will take a closer look at these vortex structures, the so-called magnetic skyrmions. Skyrmions are only a few nanometers in size. A nanometer is a millionth of a millimetre. In our experiments, we have succeeded in creating skyrmions very precisely, moving them and allowing them to interact. In the magnetic field, they are stable, mobile and amazingly adaptable. Under certain conditions, several skyrmions can also combine to form complex assemblies, known as skyrmion bags. Using high-resolution X-ray microscopy, we can not only take images of these nanostructures, but even shoot movies with nanosecond resolution. These tiny vortices are not only fascinating physical objects, they also offer new ways of efficiently storing and processing information. Their dynamics and adaptability open up exciting prospects for the technologies of tomorrow. Would you like to take a look into the future of the nanoworld?

About the person

Lisa-Marie Kern is a physicist at the interface of magnetism, materials science and optics. She is researching the control and manipulation of complex spin textures, so-called skyrmions, on ultra-small length and ultra-fast time scales and is currently working at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA. She previously completed her doctorate at the Max Born Institute for Nonlinear Optics and Short Pulse Spectroscopy in Berlin. Her physics studies took her to Germany, Luxembourg and France, allowing her to gain international and interdisciplinary experience. For her dissertation, she was awarded the KlarText Prize in Physics for outstanding science communication. In addition to her research, she is actively involved in communicating complex physics concepts in an understandable way and making science accessible to a broad audience.

From demonstration experiment to hands-on project: 4F system and spectroscopy

Dr. Lisa-Marie Kern

MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Dr. Theresia Palenta

Lichtwerkstatt Jena, Friedrich Schiller University Jena

Thuringian mineral resources: between landscapes, architecture and innovation

Dr. Agnese Fazio

Student Research Center Nordhausen

Coordination STEM Region Northern Thuringia

Mareike Naylor

Kyffhäuser National GeoPark

Hands-on workshop

Thuringia mineral resources: between landscapes, architecture and innovation

(Friday, 19.06.2026, 14:15 – 16:00 hrs.

Saturday, 20.06.2026, 10:45 – 12:30)

On the topic

In this workshop, we will take a new look at Thuringia – at its landscape, its cultural and innovative history and the interactions between natural space and human use.

In the first part, you will learn about four Earth Learning Ideas(ELI) that have been specially adapted or developed for Thuringia. These compact, didactically clearly structured teaching impulses can be used immediately, promote technical understanding and critical thinking and can be used flexibly in different class levels. The materials are inexpensive, suitable for everyday use and can be used in the classroom or specialist room as well as outside without much preparation – ideal for group work, learning stations, demonstrations or playful approaches.

In the second part, we work with geowindow, an innovative teaching medium for all science subjects. Together we will model the formation and development of the karst – a natural phenomenon that has significantly shaped Thuringia’s landscape, ecology and economy and is still of great importance today. You will receive concrete suggestions on how to communicate complex processes in a clear and sustainable way.

The workshop combines in-depth specialist knowledge with directly implementable teaching ideas and invites you to discover Thuringia from a new perspective. It is primarily aimed at teachers of MNT and geography. At the same time, teachers from all subject areas are expressly welcome, as a sustainable understanding of scientific processes thrives on interdisciplinary impulses.

About the people

Dr. Agnese Fazio is an employee of the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia and studied geosciences at the University of Pisa and received her doctorate from the same university in 2015 with a thesis on naturally shock-deformed rocks from the Kamil impact crater (Egypt). From 2015 to 2023 she worked at the Institute of Geosciences at Friedrich Schiller University Jena, where she was involved in various projects in the field of planetary mineralogy. She has been working at STIFT since October 2023 and is the contact person for the Nordhausen Student Research Center and STEM Coordination North Thuringia. She has been Geoscience Education Field Officer (GEFO) for Germany since March 2026. This is a voluntary program of the European Geosciences Union (EGU) to promote geoscience training for teachers, student teachers and extracurricular staff (e.g. museums, geoparks).

Mareike Naylor studied Applied Geosciences at the Martin Luther University Halle Wittenberg and the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg. In her Master’s thesis, which she completed in 2012, she dealt with the age dating of rutile minerals (TiO2) and the provenance research of these minerals at a gold deposit in Brazil. After the first years of professional experience in exploration at the company Sachsenzinn GmbH and research on rare earths at the Bavarian State Office for the Environment, she moved to England in 2016. She has been working as GeoPark Manager of the Kyffhäuser National Geopark since 2018 and has also been working for the Thuringian Ministry for the Environment, Energy, Nature Conservation and Forestry in the Kyffhäuser and Südharz Nature Parks since 2022, which she has also managed since January 2026.

Climate you can touch: Creating lively lessons with the climate case

Dr. Anne Kopp

Student Research Center Gotha Coordination STEM Region West Thuringia

Susanne Seupel

Student Research Center Gera

Coordination STEM region East Thuringia

Jutta Reger

Biology and chemistry teacher at Goethegymnasium Weimar

On the topic

In this workshop, the climate case is presented as a practical tool for climate education in schools. Selected experiments will be used to show how topics such as the causes and consequences of climate change can be dealt with simply and vividly in the classroom.

Some of the contents of the climate case are tested together in practice and then discussed with a view to their use in the classroom. We will also look at how the materials can be integrated into different subjects and year groups.

In addition, the workshop offers the opportunity for professional exchange and to develop your own ideas for the classroom. The aim is to get to know the climate case as a helpful material that is suitable for everyday use.

About the people

Dr. Anne Kopp is an employee of the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia and studied biology at the Friedrich Schiller University and received her doctorate in 2012 at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology Hans Knöll Institute in Jena with a thesis on the protein interaction of components of the complement system, as part of the innate immune response. From 2013 to 2023, she worked as a scientist at Abbott Rapid Diagnostics Jena GmbH on the research and development of diagnostic tests for infectious diseases (such as HIV and HCV). Since June 2024, she has been working at the Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research Thuringia (STIFT) and is the contact person for the Gotha Student Research Center and STEM Thuringia Coordination West Thuringia.

Jutta Reger studied biology and chemistry at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen and completed her teacher training at Georg-Simon-Ohm-Gymnasium in Erlangen. She then worked at Helene-Lange-Gymnasium in Fürth and Gymnasium Oberhaching near Munich before moving to Goethegymnasium Weimar in Thuringia in 2008. Since the 2021/22 school year, she has been working as a chemistry subject advisor. As part of the NWuT lessons at Goethegymnasium, she leads a Junior Engineer Academy (JIA), which is funded by the Telekom Foundation. The topics of “sustainable construction” and “sustainable energy supply” are at the heart of this, but dealing with climate change using the climate suitcases has also become an important element of the JIA lessons.

Susanne Seupel is an employee of the Thuringia Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research and studied chemistry at the Friedrich Schiller University in Jena. The focus of her doctorate was polymer and sugar chemistry. Whether during her studies or in the doctoral process, she was always willing and able to pass on her knowledge and practical experience to interested students. Students in her minor subject benefited from this, as did prospective chemists and chemistry teachers in their state examinations. She has made passing on knowledge her profession: since August 2020, she has been inspiring young researchers to discover the secrets of molecules in working groups and research clubs as head of the Gera Student Research Center.

“The country needs engineers!”

Frank Beinersdorf

Student research center at the FH Erfurt

Coordination STEM Region Central Thuringia

Off-site: SFZ at the FH Erfurt, Altonaer Str. 25, 9.E.02 House 9, Ground Floor Room 02

On the subject

In this hands-on workshop, we will explore how 3D design using CAD and 3D printing can be used as effective entry-level tools for engineering thinking. We will take a brief look at various 3D design tools, from intuitive entry-level programs to cloud solutions, and briefly discuss their pros and cons for use in the classroom.

The focus will be on the concept of parametric design . In contrast to direct modeling, the parametric approach allows objects to be precisely defined using variables and geometric rules. This not only trains logical understanding, but also reflects real engineering procedures.

After a short introduction, we will work together on simple practical examples and finally transfer our digital designs into the real world using 3D printing.

Notes for participants: The workshop is aimed at all teachers who are looking for an introduction to the topic. Previous specialist knowledge is not required, effective use of graphical user interfaces is sufficient. If possible, bring your own laptop with the Windows operating system and a computer mouse. We also have some equipment on site.

About the person

Frank Beinersdorf completed his degree in mechatronics engineering at the Ilmenau University of Technology in 2007 with a thesis on walking robotics. Enthusiastic about this subject area, he moved to the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence Bremen. He worked at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence in Bremen, where he was active in the field of walking robotics until 2012 – interrupted by a one-year stay in New Zealand as an animatronics engineer. He then worked as a freelance engineer in Berlin, followed by a stint as a research assistant at the Humboldt University of Berlin. He then moved back to New Zealand, where he taught mechatronics at the Wellington Institute of Technology from 2014. At the same time, he continued to work freelance, including for MechAdept Ltd (robot prototypes for research), where he later joined full-time. In 2022, he returned to his home country and has been working at the Thuringia Foundation for Technology, Innovation and Research since September 2024.

Superfood – super experiments!

Dr. Christina Walther

Management witelo e.V.

Student Research Center Jena

On the subject

This workshop focuses on three popular superfoods: turmeric, chia seeds and spirulina powder. The chemical properties and biological effects of the ingredients are investigated using simple materials and safe experiments. The experiments are relevant to everyday life, inspire amazement and offer numerous references to the Thuringian curriculum: Chemistry (properties of substances, detection reactions), Biology (photosynthesis, cell types), MNT/NWuT (experimenting with natural substances).

About the person

Dr. rer. nat. Dr. phil. Christina Walther studied biochemistry in Leipzig and Cork (Ireland). From 2006 to 2012, she worked at Imaginata Jena and as a research assistant at the Chair of School Education and School Development at Friedrich Schiller University Jena. Among other things, she was responsible for the educational support of the Imaginata station park.

She has been coordinator of the network of scientific and technical learning locations in Jena (witelo) since 2012 and managing director of witelo e.V. since 2016. As head of the Jena Student Research Centre and coordinator of the Jena STEM-BiT (STEM – Education and Participation) cluster, she organizes a wide range of STEM activities for children and young people in Jena and the surrounding area.

When AI errs, distorts and is manipulated (only on 20.06.)

Hallucinations, bias, black boxes, data protection and prompt injections explained clearly

Prof. Dr. Karsten Löw

Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Business Law

On the subject

Artificial intelligence has quickly become a defining technology of our time. It writes texts, analyzes data, creates images and supports decision-making processes – often with impressive performance. The main topics of discussion are efficiency gains and innovation potential. However, the structural weaknesses, systematic error patterns and legal limitations of these systems are less frequently considered. This is precisely where the workshop comes in.

The focus is on the question of how generative AI actually “works” – and where its inherent risks lie. To this end, we analyze hallucinations, i.e. outputs that seem plausible in terms of content but are factually incorrect, as well as algorithmic distortions that can reproduce or reinforce existing social inequalities. The so-called black box problem is addressed as well as the practical and normative limits of technical explainability. In addition, we examine manipulation possibilities such as prompt injections, which can deliberately undermine the integrity of systems.

The workshop combines technical basics with legal and ethical perspectives. The aim is to develop a reflective understanding of the opportunities and limitations of generative AI and to develop concrete starting points for how these topics can be addressed in a well-founded and responsible manner in the classroom.

About the person

Prof. Dr. Karsten Löw studied law in Marburg and Madrid. Before joining Schmalkalden University of Applied Sciences, he worked as a business consulting lawyer in Berlin (corporate/venture capital), as a public prosecutor in Hanau and as a judge for criminal and civil cases in Offenbach and Giessen. He teaches and researches on current issues of corporate law and the law of artificial intelligence with a special focus on regulation, liability, governance and the interaction between technological innovation and commercial law.

Beyond the Sound: Exploring ultrasound phenomena experimentally (only 20.06.2026)

Dr. Silvana Fischer + Jermaine Borutta

Physics school lab,

Friedrich Schiller University Jena

On the subject

This interactive workshop introduces the fascinating technology behind the images. Participants will gain exciting insights into the handling of ultrasound devices, the effects of different materials and how ultrasound images are created. Through a variety of experiments, they can experience the versatile and sometimes surprising everyday applications of ultrasound.

About the people

Jermaine Borutta is studying to become a physics and biology teacher at the FSU Jena. He has been involved in the basic physics practical course and school laboratory here for several years.

Dr. Silvana Fischer studied physics in Jena and completed her doctorate on materials for holographic storage. For 20 years, she has been responsible for the experimental training of student teachers in the physics didactics working group and heads the school laboratory.

How to make systems fair – matching ideas for school, university and everyday life

Dr. Àgnes Cseh

University of Bayreuth, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science

On the subject

Have you ever wondered how to allocate pupils to schools fairly or how to find suitable donors for patients? In this lecture, we will dive into the world of two-sided assignments under preferences, where people (and sometimes even computers!) say what they want – and math helps to find good solutions.

What does it actually mean for an assignment to be stable, and why does instability lead to “runaway” pairs? We also look at popularity and ask: If different assignments could compete against each other – which one would win? Then we look at Pareto efficiency: can we make someone better off without making someone else worse off – and why is this surprisingly relevant?

To make it all tangible, we’ll look at real-world applications: from school choice and university admissions to P2P networks and life-saving kidney exchange programs. By the end, you’ll see how a few simple ideas shape systems that millions of people depend on.

To the person

Ágnes Cseh is a lecturer at the University of Bayreuth, where she teaches student teachers in the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science and conducts research into algorithms and matching theory. Her work combines complex mathematical models with socially relevant applications, for example in the German kidney exchange program, where she works as a matchmaker. Science communication is particularly close to her heart, and she uses formats such as science slams to show a wide audience how exciting and practical mathematical concepts can be. After completing her studies and doctorate at TU Berlin, she specialized in matching problems under preferences, an area that has shaped her research and teaching ever since. Research stays in Reykjavík and Budapest expanded her scientific profile and strengthened her focus on interdisciplinary applications of mathematical models. In numerous publications, she has shown how algorithmic methods can help to improve fairness and efficiency in complex decision-making systems.