Citizens' Festival in Saarbrücken: Research, experiment and celebrate!

Citizens' Festival in Saarbrücken: Research, experiment and celebrate!

The citizens' festival for the Day of German Unity 2025 will take place from October 2nd to 4th in Saarbrücken and is organized by the Saarland University (UdS) together with various research institutes and the Saarland University Hospital (UKS). The event will take place as part of the “Future through Change” mile on Mainzer Straße. Visitors are presented with information stands that present innovative research projects in areas such as computer science, medicine and life sciences. The initiative aims to promote young people's involvement in MINT subjects and is complemented by interactive offerings that are particularly aimed at children and young people.

A highlight of the event are the hands-on activities, which give young visitors the opportunity to actively experiment themselves. These include UdS student laboratories that offer experiments in a special “MINT mile”. Dr. Céline Krauß, from the University President's Office, will be available as a contact person and will inform citizens about the diverse opportunities that MINT subjects offer.

Focus on research projects

The research projects that will be presented at the community festival are as diverse as they are exciting. So that showsMentalytics Projectof the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), how AI-supported assistants can be used to motivate training and rehabilitation. The topic of digitalization is also covered: TheDigital twinenables the savings potential of new heating systems to be calculated.

TheMax Planck Institute for Computer Scienceis represented with two projects: the first,“3D Gaussian Splatting”, focuses on realistically reconstructing scenes throughout the projectTangiblesexamines the perception of objects in virtual worlds. This is in the field of disaster controlSkyPulse Projectof the Max Planck Institute for Software Systems is particularly worth mentioning because it combines satellite data, AI and social media to monitor and respond to climate change.

Biomedical research and international collaboration

The biomedical research field is also not neglected. For example, examines thisLeibniz Institute for New Materialsthe interaction of non-living materials with living cells and offers hands-on opportunities to make “DNA candies” and fluorescent works of art. At the Saarland University Hospital (UKS), visitors can experience over 10,000 robotically assisted operations that have been carried out since 2006. Another innovative project is the“Emphatic Incubator”, which enables AI-powered monitoring of newborns.

The festival also highlights international cooperation. The European university association Transform4Europe and the University of the Greater Region will be introduced, and guests can take part in a science slam and readings with well-known authors.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research promotes similar initiatives to improve MINT skills. These are crucial for tackling global challenges such as climate change and technological change. With a budget of 10 million euros, the ministry supports experienced project teams in STEM education to promote a common understanding of good educational approaches. These interdisciplinary efforts are essential for a sustainable society.

For further information about the community festival and the MINT offerings, the university's website is available: www.uni-saarland.de/gemeinsam-fuer-morgen.

In addition, visitors can expect culinary offerings as well as opportunities for exchange and dialogue. High-level representatives from politics, science and civil society will take part in this celebration, creating a lively and informative environment.

The gathering, which serves as a platform for innovation and the exchange of ideas, brings together science, education and society and emphasizes the relevance of STEM education in our modern world.