Physics Project Days for Schoolgirls

5 September 2023

Photo: Roman Kogler

50 schoolgirls from Hamburg and its surroundings participated in the Physics Project Days 2023

The Physics Project Days took place on the Campus Bahrenfeld from August 30 to September 2. The four-day physics workshop is aimed at female high school students from Hamburg and the surrounding area and is intended to provide a practical insight into the everyday life of a scientist. 50 female participants took the opportunity to work in small groups on 14 different projects offered by research groups from DESY and the University of Hamburg.

The Physics Project Days create a space for girls without gender-specific competition. Schoolgirls who are interested in the natural sciences can pursue experimental and phenomenological questions together with experienced research groups. This year's event was rounded off by a supporting programme consisting of scientific lectures, a tour of the campus, information sessions on studying physics at the University of Hamburg and a final colloquium at which the participants presented their research results in the form of a poster session. Both the project phases and the supporting programme provided an opportunity for the schoolgirls to meet like-minded girls from the surrounding area. A survey among the schoolgirls shows that 80% of the participants consider studying physics after the Physics Project Days.

The Physics Project Days were organised by researchers of the Cluster of Excellence “Quantum Universe” of the University of Hamburg and DESY, with the active support of the Physics Department and the school laboratory “Light & Schools”.