HERBST-Uni 2021 (all Gender)

This year's HERBST-Uni, for the first time for all high school students, took place at the University of Paderborn from October 11-15, 2021. Within the framework of this trial study, prospective students were able to attend exciting lectures and impressive workshops from the STEM area (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) for one week and were thus given the opportunity to ask numerous questions about studying and to get to know student life at the University of Paderborn better.

The Laboratory for Material and Joining Technology (LWF) provided support with an event on the topic of "Reduced consumption, lower CO₂ emissions - Who wants to build resource-saving vehicles? And above all, how?". Unfortunately, however, it was decided to offer the event purely digitally this year, which meant that the many prospective students who attended were unable to gain any practical experience of joining in the LWF's laboratory area. In the digital event, however, the students were given a theoretical and application-oriented impression of how innovative joining techniques can be used to make a vehicle lighter - and therefore more environmentally friendly. The students were introduced to various joining processes and their application in current vehicles. In addition to the technical challenges of joining the different materials, the students were given an insight into how the crash behavior of vehicles can be virtually predicted using simulations. After the taster lecture, the students gratefully took the opportunity to engage in a lively exchange with Mr. Meschut about individual experiences and insights related to mechanical engineering.

Afterwards, Mr. Nick Chudalla, advisor for lightweight construction with hybrid systems, informed the students about the structure and process of studying mechanical engineering at the University of Paderborn and pointed out the diverse career fields of an engineer. Finally, a calculation task on lightweight construction was worked on in collaboration with the students, who were able to learn impressively how much CO2 can be saved if the car is 300 kg lighter.

All in all, it was a successful event and we hope to see one or two of the students here with us again in a few years!