The SPIN2030 science festival in Dresden delighted visitors and exhibitors alike.
The SPIN2030 science festival, organized by the Saxon State Ministry of Science, Culture and Tourism at the Technische Sammlung in Dresden, was a complete success. 8,000 visitors of all ages were inspired by the scientific excellence and diversity "made in Saxony" on March 8 and 9. The interactions and the tangible interest in science were particularly enjoyable for everyone involved. This was also the case for the representatives of our HSZG at SPIN2030.
At the opening event with Minister President Michael Kretschmer and Science Minister Sebastian Gemkow, our Vice-Rector for Education and International Affairs, Prof.in. Dr.in. Sophia Keil, made a plea for science and teaching in Saxony and Upper Lusatia: "It fills me with great pride that I can sit here as a representative of Upper Lusatia and science in rural areas. At our universities, we dedicate ourselves to educating the decision-makers of tomorrow. At Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, we meet this responsibility by using innovative teaching and learning methods and with extraordinary dedication. Our approach integrates the findings from our practice-oriented research directly into teaching. In this way, we ensure that our students are trained at the cutting edge of science and are ideally equipped for the challenges of the future."
As one of three selected Saxon scientists, she presented her current research projects. Her research group SCO-TTi is an example of innovative approaches in Industry 4.0 and human-centered work of the future in production and logistics.
At the HSZG stand, the LIMO mobile open-source robots, which offered playful insights into programming, met with great interest from children. The combination of augmented reality and LEGO® was also fascinating. Daniel Fiß's offer and the SCO-TTi exhibit with Fabian Lindner and Kazimierz Przybysz proved to be a constant magnet for visitors to the HSZG stand.
The legendary "wiping table" by Andre Seeliger and Thomas Schäfer provided interactive insights into the test facilities of the Zittau power plant laboratory and even led to some touching encounters. For example, when an alumna showed her grandson the building in which she had studied and with digital "air field hockey", which made children laugh heartily at the HSZG stand.
"You're really doing something quite sensible. You can be very proud of your work!" praised an elderly lady at the exhibit "Producing with what nature provides" from the natural fiber research center LaNDER3. Jens Maiwald, who had previously explained research into natural fiber-reinforced plastics to her, smiles - a facial expression that was frequently seen at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences stand during the SPIN2030 science festival.
The trade fair also provided space for intensive technical discussions. Andre Seeliger, for example, appreciated the quality of the discussions, which exceeded his expectations. One visitor expressed her surprise at the wide range of products on offer, proof of the successful presentation and communication of scientific topics.
At the exhibit "How does a heat pump work", Martin Herling and Mareike Schneider explained the functional principle, which provided many visitors with aha moments. High-quality discussions also took place in the workshops "Civil society, civic engagement and social innovation" with the Vice-Rector for Research Prof. Raj Kollmorgen and Leonie Liemich and "The energy transition for your home" with Prof. Matthias Kunick and Mareike Schneider.
The challenge of making science understandable for non-specialists was successfully mastered using graphic recording in the "Meet a Scientist" format. Prof. Dr. Kornhuber explained his research on energy supply transformation, supported by vivid visualizations.
The presentations and exhibits were not only well received by visitors to the trade fair, but also attracted media attention, which culminated in live reports by MDR with Matthias Kinne and a visit by the ARD Mittagsmagazin to the Lander3 natural fiber research center in Zittau. The ARD report was broadcast live from Lander3-Halle nationwide. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank Maria Schäfer and Anett Kupka, who played a key role in the filming.
