Scientific and engineering disciplines have an urgent need for young scientists and engineers. Karlsruhe Institute of Technology wishes to arouse the interest of adolescents in these disciplines and to support them in finding an adequate profession. At the “Energy” Science Camp from September 06 to 10, 20 adolescents aged between 14 and 16 will conduct research into energy production and supply. The House of Competence (HoC) of KIT will organize the Science Camp in cooperation with the KIT Energy Center and the Schülerakademie Karlsruhe e. V. (Karlsruhe Pupils Academy).
What will future energy supply be like? How can energy be stored and saved? These and other aspects relating to the topic of energy will be analyzed by the participants of the Science Camp. Here, the young people will experience another way of learning. They can conduct own research, contribute ideas and opinions, and design the projects themselves. Excursions will provide insights into the professional practice of scientists and engineers. The first matter the pupils will immerse into will be hydraulic engineering. They will construct water wheels to test their efficiencies. In addition, the young people will visit the Hydrogen Test Center and the bioliq plant of KIT. Based on models, they will study different methods of energy production.
During the closing event on Friday, September 10, 16 hrs, the young people will present their results to their parents, families, friends, and the interested public. The welcome address will be given by Professor Jürgen Becker who is responsible for studies and teaching at KIT. The closing event will take place at the Plank-Hörsaal, Engler-Bunte-Ring 21, building 40.32, KIT Campus South. Representatives of the press are cordially invited to look the Science Camp participants over the shoulder and to attend the closing event.
The House of Competence (HoC) is the central institution for competence development and advanced training at KIT. The advanced training portfolio also includes special offers for pupils. The project is organized by the Karlsruhe Remote Studies Center (FSZ), one of the facilities under the roof of HoC. FSZ coordinates virtual learning at KIT and has vast experience in the preparation of studies and in the training of teachers of the subject of “Natural Science and Engineering” (NwT).
The KIT Energy Center pools fundamental research with applied research into all relevant energy sources for industry, households, services, and mobility. The activities of the KIT Energy Center are organized in seven topics: Energy Conversion, Renewable Energies, Energy Storage and Distribution, Efficient Energy Use, Fusion Technology, Nuclear Power and Safety, and Energy Systems Analysis.
The KIT Science Camp is part of the offers by the Schülerakademie Karlsruhe e. V. (Karlsruhe Pupils Academy). This association provides an open network for cooperation of research institutions, universities, industry, and schools in order to promote talented young people in science and engineering in the Karlsruhe Technology Region. Other institutions in the region of Karlsruhe are also supporting the Science Camp, among them the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research (ISI), the Customers Center of the Stadtwerke Karlsruhe, and the European Institute for Energy Research (EIfER).
Being “The Research University in the Helmholtz Association”, KIT creates and imparts knowledge for the society and the environment. It is the objective to make significant contributions to the global challenges in the fields of energy, mobility, and information. For this, about 10,000 employees cooperate in a broad range of disciplines in natural sciences, engineering sciences, economics, and the humanities and social sciences. KIT prepares its 22,800 students for responsible tasks in society, industry, and science by offering research-based study programs. Innovation efforts at KIT build a bridge between important scientific findings and their application for the benefit of society, economic prosperity, and the preservation of our natural basis of life. KIT is one of the German universities of excellence.