These scientists will be there on June 3, 2026
The Science Fair on June 3, 2026, will feature a wide range of scientists from various research institutions across the Braunschweig region. From biodiversity to digitalization, climate protection, health, and culture—we’ll showcase the full spectrum of our research here.
Each of these scientists will be offering one-on-one conversations at the Science Salon, which you can book on-site. You can also listen to some pre-selected conversations via headphones.
WHO’S PART OF IT THIS YEAR?
Tonia Andresen, Ph.D. candidate
What images did modernist artists create of the “Tropics”?
Research Associate at the Institute of Art History at the Braunschweig University of Art
“Bad Bunny's globally acclaimed Super Bowl performance drew on cultural symbols that evoked an image of the ‘Tropics,’ whose origins can be traced back as far as the 15th century. For a long time, the tropics were viewed in the European imagination as the ‘exotic’ other, in contrast to the ‘civilized’ world. But how did female artists in the Americas represent the region?”
Further information SLOT follows
© Lydia Plinke
PD Dr. Christiane Baschien
How does climate change affect mushroom populations?
Curator of Fungi at the Leibniz Institute, DSMZ—German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures
“Fungi are a fascinating group that form their own kingdom within the realm of living organisms. They possess unique characteristics that enable them to colonize even the most remote corners of the world. But how are fungi adapting to climate change? And what kinds of fungi can we expect to see in our region as the climate changes?”
Further information SLOT follows
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Dr. Julia Belda
How does wood become an innovative material?
Project Manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research (Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institut, WKI)
“My research focuses on developing innovative materials from wood, agricultural raw materials, and recycled materials. The emphasis is on bio-based adhesives, wood's natural binding properties, and modern processing technologies. This leads to the creation of sustainable products for applications such as construction and furniture. Recycling and resource conservation play a central role in this process.”
Further information SLOT follows
© Fraunhofer WKI
Dr. Phillip Farr
Without smartphones or glasses? What would our world look like without optical coatings?
Group Leader for Precision Optical Coatings at the Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films IST
“They are everywhere yet invisible: ultra-thin optical coatings in smartphones, eyeglasses, and satellites. Without them, displays would be blinding, cameras would fail, and measuring instruments in satellites would not work. Dr. Philipp Farr takes you behind the scenes of these ‘hidden champions’ and shows how his team is shaping the future, layer by layer, with such high-precision coatings.”
Further information SLOT follows
© Fraunhofer IST/Ulrike Balhorn
Katja Frenzel
Why do rechargeable batteries sometimes act up?
Ph.D. candidate at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)
“Batteries often seem unremarkable, but inside they are surprisingly dynamic. As they charge and discharge, atoms shift, form new structures—and break down again. These processes determine how long a battery lasts. Research on both established and innovative batteries shows just how much potential still lies within every battery—and how exciting the next discoveries will be.”
Further information SLOT follows
Dr. Sarah Babin
Head of Exhibition and Event Management at the Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum
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Further information SLOT follows
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Dr. Yvonne Becker
What makes microorganisms friends or foes of plants?
Scientist at the Julius Kühn Institute - Institute of Epidemiology and Pathogen Diagnostics
"Plants are colonized by a wide variety of microorganisms.
This interaction is usually harmless and, in some cases, even beneficial, such as
when microorganisms help plants access water or nutrients
in the root zone.
We investigate how environmental factors and genetic variations
influence this interaction and why certain microorganisms
transform from harmless plant inhabitants into harmful organisms."
Further information SLOT follows
Sarah Barnert/JKI
Dr. Hans-Benjamin Böckler
Energy transition: Climate neutrality with hydrogen?
Head of the "Gas Properties & Hydrogen" working group at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)
"It sounds so simple: break water down into its components using green electricity, store the hydrogen and feed it into the gas grids later - for CO2-free combustion. But not everything that sounds simple is easy to implement. Many technological questions still need to be answered and practical solutions found before hydrogen as an energy source becomes part of our everyday lives."
Further information SLOT follows
© PTB
Antonia Fels
How can climate-friendly agriculture succeed on peatlands?
Research associate at the Thünen Institute of Climate-Smart Agriculture
"Intact moors are efficient carbon reservoirs and therefore true climate protectors. However, more than 90 percent of Germany's peatlands have been drained for agriculture and forestry and are now releasing large quantities of greenhouse gases. Rewetting can only succeed in cooperation with local businesses. Can paludiculture offer an alternative that combines agriculture and climate protection?"
Further information SLOT follows
© Thünen Institute/Nadine Zirbes
Prof. Dr. Julia Gebert
Can bacteria help us to operate landfills in a climate-friendly way?
Professor at the Leichtweiß Institute for Hydraulic Engineering, Department of Waste and Resources at TU Braunschweig
"To protect our environment and human health, waste that cannot be recycled is safely stored in landfills. This is where the climate-impacting gas methane is produced due to the exclusion of air. We are researching how natural biological processes can be used in a targeted manner to transform landfills from a methane source into a methane sink!"
Further information SLOT follows
Dr. Liubov Bakhchova
Mood in the basement for no reason? - Maybe your electrochemical balance is interfering
Group leader "Biomedical Systems" at the Institute for CMOS Design at TU Braunschweig
"Mood swings often don't "just happen". Neurotransmitters, ion distribution and cell membrane potentials control how your brain processes stimuli - and therefore how you feel. Current research shows that even small electrochemical changes can be noticeable. I'll explain to you what's behind this - and why balance is crucial."
Further information SLOT follows
Maryna Bosiaha
Janina Becker
Why are we playing a digital historical game with police executives about resistance to National Socialism?
Research associate at the Leibniz-Institut für Bildungsmedien | Georg Eckert Institute
"Janina Becker explains her concept for a democracy education workshop for the police, centered around the digital game "Through the Darkest of Times". She also thinks out loud about how our confrontation with National Socialism needs to change today in order to help us fend off attacks on democracy."
Further information SLOT follows
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Prof. Dr. Peter Burschel
Quo vadis research library?
Director of the Herzog August Library Wolfenbüttel | President of the BWG
"The aim is to define a position with a perspective that assumes that the "research library" must be rethought today more than ever. Concepts that should play a role in this are "anti-library", "laboratory", "data room" and "problem library"."
Further information SLOT follows
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Dr. Stephanie Feltgen
What makes the Japanese beetle so dangerous for Europe's ecosystems?
Scientist at the Julius Kühn Institute - Institute of National and International Plant Health Affairs
"The Japanese beetle, which is not native to our country, would infest many
plants (>400 species). It feeds on flowers,
leaves and fruits. Its larvae live in the soil and
feed on grass roots. This combination of
broad food supply and lack of native
antagonists harbors the potential for mass reproduction.
We are researching how its introduction and spread
can be prevented."
Further information SLOT follows
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Martin Gestwa
Why do we need the flight test?
Head of Department at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Facility Flight Experiments
"Flight tests are mandatory for the development or proof of airworthiness to the certification authorities of an aircraft. The flight test proves whether a system functions under real conditions. Flight tests are also carried out to obtain data for the development of simulators or to validate simulation results in reality."
Further information SLOT follows
© PTB
Dr. Christian Heitzmann
Why do we keep handwritten notes?
Head of the Department of Manuscripts and Special Collections at the Herzog August Library in Wolfenbüttel
“Libraries that specialize in old books (such as the Herzog August Library in Wolfenbüttel) often also hold medieval manuscripts. These include not only famous works like the Gospel Book of Henry the Lion and Matilda of England, but also fragments—often unremarkable remnants of disassembled medieval books. Each one has a story to tell!”
Further information SLOT follows
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Julius Look
How do sewer detectives track down germs?
Research Associate at the Center for Hydrosystems and Health at Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences
"There are bacteria everywhere in our environment and our wastewater can provide information about where there are inner-city hotspots of infection. The sewer detectives are researching a quick, inexpensive and simple method of using this knowledge. To do this, they are developing samplers, optimizing the sampling locations using AI and looking at which bacteria and resistance genes are in the samples."
Further information SLOT follows
Paul Mandelkow
© Kristina Rottig, TU Braunschweig
Dr. Anke Hertling
How can libraries contribute to the promotion of democracy?
Head of Department at the Leibniz Institute for Educational Media | Georg Eckert Institute
"Together we will talk about libraries, their tasks and how you perceive and use libraries. We will talk about libraries as places of encounter, the promotion of media and information literacy and their commitment to education. I invite you to join me in discussing the opening of libraries on Sundays and extremist literature in libraries. "
Further information SLOT follows
© GEI Archive
Dr. Hannes Müller-Thomy
Why exactly does science need me?
Team leader at the Leichtweiß Institute for Hydraulic Engineering at TU Braunschweig | Young BWG
"Many challenges in science are very time-consuming and can only be solved by involving citizens ("citizen scientists"). This can be done in many ways: by photographing certain events, evaluating brain scans, digitizing archived data or actively taking samples. You can find out what projects there are and what you can gain from them here."
Further information SLOT follows
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Prof. Dr. Elena Korowin
How does cultural transfer shape artistic forms of expression?
Professor at the Institute for Art Studies at the Braunschweig University of Art
"Cultural transfer refers to the reciprocal transfer of motifs, techniques and ideas between cultural areas. In art studies, it enables the analysis of transformation processes, appropriation and reinterpretation. Artistic works are thus created in the field of tension between exchange, power relations and identity formation and shape visual traditions in the long term."
Further information SLOT follows
Natalia Sakhnova
Prof. Dr. Rolf Nohr
Those who play learn - but perhaps not always what they think they are learning,
Professor of Media Aesthetics/ Media Culture at the Braunschweig University of Art
"Anyone who plays learns - but not
every educational software is a toy.
Every computer game teaches
us a wide range of knowledge and models of action -
but a shooter does not automatically blunt us
ethically.
It all boils down to the old question:
Why do we play? What role does
"the medium" play in gaming? And above all:
What else plays a role when we play? "
Further information SLOT follows
© Michael Grosler; www.Grosler.de
Dr. Jan Cornelius Peters
What do digitalization, climate protection and the like mean for companies in rural areas?
Deputy Director of the Thünen Institute for Innovation and Value Creation in Rural Areas
"More digital, more climate-friendly, more resilient: These developments affect the economy of rural regions differently to that of cities - especially in a society that is increasingly ageing. Where are companies facing similar challenges, where are there differences? And which approaches help to successfully master economic change?"
Further information SLOT follows
© Thünen Institute/ Heidrun Fornahl
Dr. Hendrik Reuper
How is it ensured that crop protection products are safe and effective?
Consultant at the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (BVL)
"Crops are exposed to infestation by harmful organisms and compete with weeds for resources. Agriculture uses many measures to protect plants and their products, including pesticides. When they are applied, they inevitably end up in the environment. However, this must not have any undesirable effects. That is why plant protection products require authorization."
Further information SLOT follows
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Dr. Marie Ritter
How do we make meetings better?
Project Coordinator conCErt, Industrial, Organizational and Social Psychology, Open Hybrid LabFactory
"Meetings cost time and sometimes nerves and yet they can be important resources at work. But what do we need to do about it? I would like to talk to you about meeting culture, focus and collaboration from the perspective of work and organizational psychology and introduce our new meeting lab at the Open Hybrid LabFactory, where we are researching this."
Further information SLOT follows
© Jo Photo
Dr. Jan Schlegel
How do viruses adapt to their environment?
Junior group leader at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research
"Viruses are tiny and yet have an enormous impact on our lives. We want to understand how individual virus particles adapt to their molecular environment in order to develop novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. We use high-resolution microscopy and synthetic biology methods to do this."
Further information SLOT follows
© HZI/ Verena Meier
Prof. Dr. Timo Schreiner
Good education! - Pedagogy between everyday life and research
Professor of Child and Youth Welfare at the Faculty of Social Work at Ostfalia University of Applied Sciences
"Parents, professionals and children experience education in everyday life, shaped by intuition, experience and values. Educational research and theories provide scientifically sound findings that describe, classify and critically reflect on education - even where they contradict everyday life or remain unconscious. So how does professional action succeed between everyday life and theory?"
Further information SLOT follows
Klaus Mai
TRAFO Hub
Sophienstraße 40
38118 Braunschweig
June 3rd 2026
Open Doors 18:00
Start: 18:30