Instead of regular classes, students in grades 5 through 10 enjoyed a full STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) program at the end of May. Universities, extracurricular educational institutions, and numerous companies in Central Hesse invited children and teenagers to participate in nearly 60 hands-on activities to demonstrate that physics, mathematics, biology, and computer science are not just school subjects, but influence our everyday lives.
Natural sciences made tangible.
At the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen (THM), young people built their own USB solar chargers and water rockets, learned programming, and discovered the medical applications of radiation. The Institute for Medical Physics and Radiation Protection, headed by Prof. Dr. Martin Fiebich at THM Giessen provided insights into radiation therapy for cancer, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT), and X-rays. "That little bit of physics isn't so bad," said Fiebich. Doctoral candidate Alexander Brockmann then led the students through the laboratories, allowing them to explore their surroundings with a thermal imaging camera, use microscopes, and demonstrated how precise coils for MRI are created using 3D printing and a great deal of manual work.
At the THMcampus in Friedberg, seventh-grade students experienced firsthand in laboratories just how diverse applied natural sciences are: messages with invisible ink, music with bottles, light in prisms, and programming mini-computers. The biggest surprise, however, came from Prof. Dr. Linda Beukemann with her learning machines: these weren't made of metal, but rather of matchboxes filled with beads.
The Chemikum Marburg offered a biological-medical focus with the workshop “I, the unknown life form”, while at the Schüler:innen-Forschungszentrum Mittelhessen the young researchers were on the trail of radioactivity, whereas at the Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU) the theme was “Floating and Sinking”: School classes 5 and 6 could learn to handle measuring cylinders, overflow vessels and scales through independent experimentation in the student laboratory PiA.
The companies' activities offered practical insights into technical professions, modern production processes, and innovative technologies. The Schunk Group in Heuchelheim simulated industrial manufacturing processes, including quality management and process optimization, using a paper airplane challenge. "It was great to see how quickly the teams improved their processes. This understanding of collaboration and continuous improvement is crucial in the professional world," explained Dr. Antonio Kreß, Senior Manager Global Operations at the Schunk Group. HR representative Alexandra Elstner added, "Our goal was to spark an early interest in technical and scientific topics. Hands-on and fun."
At Isabellenhütte Heusler GmbH & Co. KG in Dillenburg, the students built their own e-Drikes and then drove them around the company premises. Küster Automotive GmbH in Ehringshausen had an eighth-grade class in the training workshop drill, mill, and solder an electronic "Ludo" game board, including a circuit board. Further insights into their working environments were provided by the Friedhelm Loh Group, Pfeiffer Vacuum and the Sparkasse Dillenburg.
Jens Schumacher from the organizing team of the MINTmit Action Days summarizes: “I am very pleased that we had such a broad range of activities and offerings for all age groups. The uncomplicated cooperation between all participants also worked well. There were more applications from schools than in 2025. The students clearly enjoyed themselves and discovered interests they hadn't even known they had. Overall, the result is motivating for the MINTmit Action Days 2027.”