Hacker Camp in Hagen: Students measure the environment and learn AI!

Hacker Camp in Hagen: Students measure the environment and learn AI!

During the first week of the autumn holidays, an exciting hacker camp took place at the FernUniversität in Hagen. Eleven students between the ages of 14 and 18 had the opportunity to intensively engage with the topics of artificial intelligence, machine learning and working with environmental data. This was done in cooperation with the innovative SenseBox realized, a do-it-yourself kit for collecting position-related environmental data that measures climate, air quality, traffic volume, noise pollution as well as visible and UV light.

The measurement data collected from the camp was published as open data, including on the city of Hagen's smart city dashboard. The participants carried out fine dust measurements at three different locations, including Universitätsstrasse, the campus and the Fleyer Forest. This data was analyzed within a common table, with the young researchers developing hypotheses about the influence of traffic, vegetation and wind.

Practical applications and goals

The weekly plan included both hands-on days in the Hagen Technology Center and application days on the FernUni campus. The aim of the camp was to make the digital skills of the participants tangible, to explore technical basics and to promote responsible use of data.

A particular highlight of the Hacker Camp was the “Generating AI Images” course. The results of this course will be presented on November 12, 2025, from 4:30 p.m., at the Science Slam “Next Level Learning – Understanding AI, Shaping Learning” in the LUTZ:theater Hagen. Admission is free and the event provides a platform to present participants' creative ideas to a wide audience.

Wider impact and STEM education

Working with the SenseBoxes is not only an interesting technical challenge, but also an example of the importance of STEM education. STEM skills are crucial to tackling challenges such as climate change, the energy transition and technological changes Education Research Digital explained. Initiatives like Hacker Camp contribute to the development of cross-curricular approaches to STEM education and help students develop their practical skills as part of their school education.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research supports numerous research projects on MINT education that also aim at equal opportunities. The focus is on the development of didactics and the involvement of actors from practice. Such projects lay the foundation for a better understanding of complex topics and encourage students to actively participate in technical and scientific developments.

The combination of practical application and theoretical education is seen as the key to a digital, sustainable future. The young people at the Hacker Camp provide an example of how young people can be introduced to the world of technology and natural sciences, which is of great importance not only for them but also for society.