Geschäftsbericht 2010 - Laser-Laboratorium Göttingen e.V.

Veranstaltungen
Events
Visit from school children of the Physics Olympics on 26 January 2010
Young people with special talents in the physical section have a chance every year to participate in
the physics competition arranged by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Göttingen to determine
the person or best person amongst themselves, to gain new experience and to meet persons with
similar interests from all over the country. The best five amongst them will represent Germany at the
41st International Physics Olymics in Croatia. The school children, aged between 15-19 years,
competed for a week in theroretical and experimental examinations against each other and then
visited the scientific institutions and companies in the region. A group of 60 persons visited the Laser
Laboratorium Göttingen on 26 January 2010 in the afternoon. They were warmly welcome by Dr. Uwe
Leinhos, who is strongly involved in youth work and supervises the Science Camp. He provided detailed
information about the institute, departments and the research tasks.
A quided tour of the laboratories with experiments in the fields of combustion diagnostics, explosives
detection, laser technology and the new area of laser-plasma hybrid technology quickly attracted the
interest of talented young future physicists. Many pertinent questions and active interest resulted in
many discussions and much fun.
Future Day at the Laser Laboratorium Göttingen 2010
Since exactly 10 years, interested girls from the 5th to the 10th class are given the opportunity on
Future Day to experience a day in non-typical-female professions. On this anniversary of the federal
action, not only did the millionth participant take the opportunity to gain insight into scientific and technical
careers – but for boys as well, this forward-looking action day is getting more important. In the
field of scientific research and development, the promotion of the younger generation is more important
than ever. Interest in the natural science must be awakened early, especially in tropics often
perceived as difficult and an individual response of the children´s needs is particulary important. Many
young people are not aware of how often they are confronted with science in everyday life and underestimate
their own talents and abilities here.
In the promotion of young people, the educational service provided by the schools is not enough. For
industrial companies and research institutes, initiatives like the Future Day, are a good opportunity to
open their doors for a visit with some special projects being presented.
This year there was a mixed group with a total of eight boys and girls as quests at the Laser Laboratorium
Göttingen e.V. aged from 10 to 12 years, they had the opportunity to learn about the institute and
to explore for themselves how laser engraving works, how to build a disco laser and how a laser show
can proceed. Initial experience in reading circuit diagrams and soldering with a soldering iron under
the guidance of LLG scientists was made. With highest concentration and interest, they discovered the
practical and technical aspects of laser physics. The successes of the day, bright disco laserand shining
eyes confirmed the positive impact of the initative once more.
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