Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IISEvents to inspire talented young researchers
Idyllically situated in Franconian Switzerland, an upland in northern Bavaria, our research campus in Waischenfeld provides a stimulating location for hosting group events. The excellent research infrastructure facilitates effective, focused work as well as giving guests the opportunity to collectively recharge their batteries with team experiences and outdoor activities on the doorstep. In the pandemic-blighted year of 2021, this winning combination benefited the young participants of three events in particular.
From August 11–20, 2021, the Junior Academy Bavaria (JuniorAkademie Bayern) was held on the campus. Following a Bavaria-wide selection process, the coveted places were awarded to thirty high-school students who had excelled at their schools in their talent and enthusiasm for technology. Under the guidance of our scientists, the young technology enthusiasts explored topics ranging from the generation and perception of music to the creation of electromagnetic fields and color depths. Sport and creativity workshops provided variety and a holiday atmosphere.
Organized by the Fraunhofer Network for Science, Art and Design, the annual Fraunhofer Summer Camp was held in the second week of September 2021. True to the theme of the event – “Design & Research vs. Pandemics” – interdisciplinary teams of researchers and students searched for creative, practical solutions to pandemic-related research questions. This bringing together of diverse skills and expertise resulted in the development of three innovative prototypes.
The last of these three events for talented youngsters was the Talent School, which was held from November 2–5, 2021. A follow-up program to the Junior Academy 2019, the Talent School was designed to bring the same talented young people in STEM subjects back into contact with research and make them enthusiastic about pursuing a career in this domain. Two of our experts introduced the young people to topics such as the aesthetics of complex numbers and how to design a functional electrical circuit.
