Girl power: Creative MINT workshops at UniBw Munich!

Girl power: Creative MINT workshops at UniBw Munich!

The University of the Bundeswehr Munich (UniBw M) is once again hosting its popular MINT holiday workshops for girls aged 10 to 14 this year. This initiative is aimed at increasing young girls' interest in mathematics, computer science, science and technology (STEM). The workshops, under the motto “Strong girls do MI(N)T”, take place during the summer holidays and offer participants exciting opportunities to get creative themselves.

Organized by the UniBw M family service center in cooperation with various faculties, the series of events covers a total of nine different topics. Each workshop is designed to give hands-on experience that is not only educational but also fun. Under the guidance of expert lecturers, the girls were able to build, among other things, a walkable wooden bridge without screws and nails. This workshop took place in collaboration with the Institute for Structural Engineering and requires not only creative ideas, but also teamwork and a lot of skill.

Diverse workshop offerings

The workshop “Concrete, wood, paper… building creative bridges” was particularly exciting, in which participants such as Aurelia, Liliana and Emily developed a honeycomb structure using innovative materials such as cardboard and glue. A Leonardo bridge was also tested, which was built without the use of screws and nails. But that's not all: Another workshop at the Institute for Energy and Drive Technology was dedicated to solar energy. Here the girls learned how solar thermal energy and photovoltaics contribute to energy conversion. This led to the development of solar model cars that were allowed to compete against each other.

Through the practical experiences, the organizers want to reduce prejudices and promote the participants' interest in MINT careers. Sofie Fertig, the coordinator of the workshops, emphasizes the importance of these practical experiences in order to arouse curiosity and convey a positive image of technical careers.

The fee for participation in the holiday workshops is 45 euros for three-day and 15 euros for one-day offers. These events are part of a larger trend focused on getting girls into STEM fields and giving them insight into potential career paths.

Important initiatives for girls in STEM

The promotion of girls in MINT careers is not just limited to UniBw M. Various initiatives at national level, such as “Come, do MINT” or Girls’ Day, aim to stimulate interest in craft, technical and scientific careers. In various projects we work with schools and teachers to strengthen girls' positive self-concept and to make them aware of gender-atypical professions.

These initiatives are necessary to eliminate gender imbalances in technical professions and to inspire girls to pursue a career in MINT in the long term. Ultimately, such events are intended not only to expand technical knowledge, but also to open a dialogue about the opportunities and challenges in these professions.

For further information about the MINT holiday workshops at UniBw M and to register, those interested can visit the university's website or contact the family service center directly.

The MINT holiday workshops, which are supported both by the University of the Bundeswehr in Munich and by various educational initiatives, are characterized by their diversity and the support of girls in a traditionally male-dominated professional field. These commitments are important not only to promote young talent, but also to bring about a rethink in society.

Further details and information can be found in the from uniBw.de, wochenanzeiger.de and bildungsserver.de information provided.