News
Discovering Science at the IPF: Students Explore Research and Careers
In September and October 2026, students in grades 8 and 9 visited the IPF as part of their school-based career orientation and the Ferienakademie program, respectively.
In an interactive, detective-style setting, students from the Oberschule Kreischa took on the role of investigators, using chemistry experiments to examine clues, analyze their results, and piece together their findings step by step. This hands-on approach encouraged them to apply scientific methods, think critically, and draw their own conclusions in an engaging setting.
During the Ferienakademie, students went behind the scenes in four IPF laboratories: After an introduction to microplastics analysis, they visited a chemistry laboratory to learn how tailored surfaces enable applications such as water-repellent textiles and protective clothing. The students also explored blood–material interactions for medical applications in a hemocompatibility laboratory as well as fiber processing through examples such as an innovative scoliosis brace.
Both visits showed the students how closely science is connected to everyday life and offered them the opportunity to discover their own interest in research and explore potential career paths.
The IPF would like to thank everyone involved in organizing both school students visits, including Cordelia Zimmerer and her research group, Anja Caspari, Julia Lötsch, Sascha Putzke, Stefanie Trenkler, Manfred Maitz, Lars Bittrich, and all supporting colleagues.
23.10.2026