16.09.2021

"You are young people who care about what surrounds you"

Prof. Peter Scharff bei Chemie-ExperimentalvorlesungTU Ilmenau
"Chemistry that cracks and stinks" could be heard and seen in an experimental lecture by Prof. Peter Scharff.

How can sound energy be converted into heat energy? What is the chemistry behind flashing light? And how much energy do gummy bears have?

At the "Jugend forscht" day of action at TU Ilmenau yesterday, everything revolved around the topic of energy.

With this day, the university once again honored the great achievements of the Jugend forscht participants in the last digital round of the West Thuringia regional competition: "Everyone was impressed by your commitment," said President Prof. Kai-Uwe Sattler in his welcoming speech and encouraged the young people to continue researching: "Because big problems cannot be solved by politics alone. For that, we need innovations!"

Experimental lecture "with a twinkle in the eye"

Ehrung Prof. Peter ScharffTU Ilmenau

Chemistry professor Peter Scharff also paid the young people the highest respect: "You are not nerds, like some people think, but young people who care about what surrounds you." In his experimental lecture "with a twinkle in the eye" on the subject of light, he unleashed a genie in a bottle, made charcoal and will-o'-the-wisps dance and lots of sparks fly.

Jugend forscht network coordinator Christina Boge (center) then presented him with the Golden Pin, the highest possible award of the Jugend forscht Foundation, for his many years of commitment as a mentor of the competition: "You are characterized by genuine enthusiasm for the competition and the young researchers," said Boge in her laudatory speech. "Committed sponsors like you are the basis of the success of Jugend forscht." The new mentor of the program is the President of TU Ilmenau, Prof. Kai-Uwe Sattler.

Guided tour of laboratories

Peter Hofmann und Jungforscher Hans vor Demonstrator mit KugelbahnTU Ilmenau
Peter Hofmann, researcher at Fraunhofer IDMT and lecturer at TU Ilmenau, demonstrates methods for AI-based acoustic quality assurance to young researcher Hans using a ball track.

At the end of the action day, the young researchers took a tour of Fraunhofer IDMT laboratories and learned how AI and microphones can be used to test the quality of balls and weld seams, got to see the world's smallest headphones and marveled at the perfect silence in the low-reflection room.

We are already looking forward to new, "Randomly Ingenious(e)?" Jugend forscht projects for the next round of Germany's best-known competition for young researchers!

The registration is now possible.

More offers for young researchers at the TU Ilmenau