Chemistry is exciting and enormously important for society. That is why the Schering Stiftung supported the so-called Pupils Workshop at the Chemistry Department of the University of Marburg in March 2007. Entitled “Curious About Chemistry,” the workshop brought together some 130 science-minded senior high school students to run their own experiments and explore the world of chemistry.

Through lectures, guided tours, experiments and conversations, the senior high school students gained deep insights into the diversity of chemistry and even were allowed to “get into the mix” in the lab. Wearing lab coats and protective goggles, they explored chemical connections and learned, among other things, how acids and alkaline solutions can be detected with the help of red cabbage juice. The participants who came from all over Germany were especially excited about the experiments. The challenging course program on topics such as nanotechnology, chemical biology or the chemistry of foods met with great interest and confirmed the Chemistry Department’s decision to focus the workshop mainly on interdisciplinary issues.

The Schering Stiftung supported the project since it provided young people with many theoretical and practical insights into various areas of chemical research and thus awakened their curiosity about the discipline of chemistry. Moreover, the high school students had the opportunity to get a taste of academic life and talk with professors and students about the challenges of pursuing a university education.

For further information, please visit:
www.uni-marburg.de