National Girls’ Day 2026 at UBT

A total of 53 participants (37 from BT, 16 from KU) from 20 different schools came to the Bayreuth campus and the Kulmbach site to become budding scientists themselves in one of the nine exciting hands-on workshops and to conduct research into current and fascinating questions in the field of university STEM subjects. The workshops involved experimenting, filtering, pipetting, measuring, programming, using microscopes and much more.

During a joint lunch in the canteen and the subsequent closing event, the participants presented what they had done in the individual workshops and shared what had particularly impressed them. We would like to extend our warmest thanks to all the workshop teams involved for their fantastic commitment, and to our participants for their many interesting questions and their enthusiasm.

Here is the translation into British English:

The following were involved: the Bayreuth Center for Stable Isotope Research in Ecology and Biogeochemistry, the Chair of Nutritional Biochemistry, the Chair of Biochemistry of Organisms, the Chair of Electronics and Electrical Energy Storage, the Chair of Experimental Physics II, the Chair of Experimental Physics V, the Chair of Crop Plant Genetics, the Chair of Macromolecular Chemistry, the Chair of Molecular Muscle and Exercise Physiology, the Keylab Glass Technology, and the Chair of Information Systems.

These were the workshops in Bayreuth:

“Why is glass transparent? And how does colour get into glass?”

Whether window panes, drinks bottles or smartphone displays – the versatile and adaptable material glass is used everywhere. In this workshop, the participants learned why glass is transparent whereas metals are not, and how glass is melted at very high temperatures. They also created their own coloured glass pane.

“Tracking down microorganisms – become a researcher with your own microscope!”

In this workshop, the participants set out to search for the smallest living organisms on Earth. In the laboratory, they first observed living cells and microorganisms using research microscopes from biophysics. They then assembled their own paper microscope and used it to examine various samples. With their microscope, they can continue their research independently even after the workshop.

“Code? No. Ideas! Understanding and controlling AI”

This interactive workshop focused on hands-on work with generative AI such as ChatGPT. The participants learned how AI responds to language by developing, rephrasing and jointly reflecting on their own prompts. It became clear how strongly precise wording and instructions influence the results and how AI can be deliberately guided. The workshop group also discussed the responsible use of AI, particularly in the school context.

“Hands-on chemistry to take home: plastic made from nature”

In this workshop, the participants produced plastic themselves from natural raw materials. Step by step, a polymer was created from lactic acid, which also occurs naturally, heated and poured as a liquid mass into the shape of a small disc. In a second experiment, the participants made their own bouncing rubber balls from wood glue and flour and discovered how different plastics can be and where they occur in everyday life.

“CSI Isotope Challenge ‘IsoTopSecret’”

“Who stole the coffee fund?” Using this question as a starting point, the participants acted as isotope detectives: they interviewed suspicious individuals, took hair samples and analysed these along with water samples from different sources. In doing so, they discovered how naturally occurring isotopes of the elements carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen can be used to obtain information about a suspect’s origin, recent whereabouts and dietary habits. In this way, the theft was solved on the basis of isotope patterns.

These were the workshops in Kulmbach:

“How much protein is really in it? Tracing protein in the laboratory”

Proteins in the form of protein shakes, protein bars or other high-protein products are currently very popular. In this workshop, the participants investigated how much protein is actually contained in our foods and how it can be detected. They compared the protein content of different products, prepared protein homogenates and used laboratory experiments to identify and analyse protein quantity and composition.

“Plant defence against disease: tracing DNA!”

Plants can also become ill. They may not get a fever, but they defend themselves – just like we do – against viruses and bacteria. In this workshop, the participants explored how plants defend themselves against disease and why this is important for us and our nutrition. They also learned what plant DNA looks like and how it can be analysed in the laboratory.

“Yeast – the world of microorganisms”

In this workshop, the participants investigated how baker’s yeast makes dough rise, cultivated yeast themselves in the laboratory, used it to write secret messages, and discovered yeast cells under the microscope. In this way, the world of microorganisms became visible to them.

“Making the invisible visible – muscle tissue under the microscope”

What does a muscle actually look like on the inside? In this workshop, the participants immersed themselves in the world of histology. They stained skeletal muscle tissue using a special technique (SDH staining) and examined various pre-stained tissue sections under the microscope. In doing so, they learned how different cell types and structures can be made visible and what they reveal about muscle function.