To ensure that guests can reach all event venues quickly and easily, two free shuttle buses will run throughout Science Night between the train station, downtown, the university campus, and the Am Vogelherd industrial park. Two specially designed buses will be used: a shuttle bus featuring the TU Ilmenau “Genius Wanted” design, which has recently been added to Ilmenau’s bus and school route network, and a bus bearing the branding of event partner Thüringer Bogen.
For those arriving by car, parking is available in the city and on campus. These locations are listed on the website, in the event app, and in the program booklet. The organizers recommend traveling as environmentally friendly as possible by public transportation and using the free shuttle buses.
Opening Concert of the Thüringen Philharmonie Gotha-Eisenach
To kick things off, a musical highlight awaits guests as early as 3 p.m.: Under the motto “Music Meets Science,” the Thuringia Philharmonic Gotha-Eisenach, together with the Chamber Choir of the TU Ilmenau, will present a concert specially designed for the Ilmenau Science Night—the first collaboration between an orchestra and a university in Thuringia.
Performed in the Auditorium Maximum, the largest lecture hall in the Humboldtbau at TU Ilmenau, film scores, including music from the Charlie Chaplin film “Modern Times” and “Jurassic Park,” as well as the soundtrack to the science fiction epic “Interstellar” by world-renowned film composer Hans Zimmer. Also on the program is the “Principal Theorem Cantata,” a musical representation of the principal theorem of differential and integral calculus, written and set to music by mathematician Friedrich Wille. Concert tickets are available at the box office for 15 euros (children under 14 and students receive a discount of 10 euros).
Samba vibes and an obstacle cross-country run to kick things off
The Ilmenau Science Night will be opened by University President Prof. Kai-Uwe Sattler and Ilmenau’s Mayor Dr. Daniel Schultheiß at 5 p.m.—and shortly before that with a rousing drum show by Aipalé, the Coburg Axé Samba School. “I am very pleased that, thanks to the dedication of our staff and the many partners and supporters of the event, we can once again bring the diversity of science and business to life for our guests this year,” said Prof. Sattler.
Those who want to kick off the evening with some exercise can join the “IlmCross” cross-country run starting at 5:30 p.m.—whether young or old, alone or in a team: On a two-kilometer course around the University Sports Center, participants must overcome more than a dozen obstacles, ranging from muddy sections to lofty heights. Registration for the IlmCross race is open online via the event website until June 15 at 12:00 p.m. for a entry fee of 25 euros for families and 18 euros for individual participants.
Cutting-edge research and technology up close
Starting at 5 p.m., TU Ilmenau and numerous partners will demonstrate just how exciting Ilmenau’s cutting-edge research and technology are. Departments and institutes will open the doors to their labs and cleanrooms, showcase experiments, and invite visitors to watch, participate, and marvel: Real or fake? Who can spot manipulated media? Who would like to take a walk with the robotic guide dog… control a tractor via remote control from the university lab… or dive into the world of underwater research or virtual reality?
Autonomous driving—driving a car that steers itself—the Ilmenau Science Night makes it possible with a test drive through city traffic. Visitors can marvel at smart city applications that are already making everyday life in Ilmenau more comfortable, or at the “Forest Doctor,” which uses artificial intelligence to detect forest diseases. They can chat with researchers about future-oriented topics such as AI, sustainable electronics, the mobility of the future, or smart energy supply.
