New Perspectives for Young Women

The Forschungszentrum and Universität Karlsruhe take part in the Germany-wide Girls’ Day on April 24 with comprehensive programs. In experiments, presentations, and lectures, girls are familiarized in particular with the technical and scientific training and studies courses offered by the KIT.

Dr. Elisabeth Zuber-Knost
Press Officer
Kaiserstraße 12
76131 Karlsruhe, Germany
Phone: +49 (0) 721/608-2089
Fax: +49 (0) 721/608-3658

At the university, the day is organized under the heading of “Technical Studies – Your Great Chance!” and starts on 9:45 hrs in the Audimax, where women with model function from industry and university introduce themselves. In the morning and in the afternoon, the girls split up into groups in the entrance hall of the Audimax and visit workshops. The topics covered range from optical pincers to wavering skyscrapers to satellite navigation. The girls get an impression of materials sciences, foodstuff processing technology, nanosciences, and other subjects. On computers provided on the campus or at home, the girls can then evaluate the events, says Ginette Berth from the Gender Equality Office. For this purpose, a new menu item “Evaluation” will appear on April 24 on the website of the Girls’ Day at the Universität Karlsruhe. At the information booths in the entrance hall of the Audimax, the girls are also free to ask questions concerning studies, vocational training, internships, and professional perspectives until 17:30 hrs. From March 10, girls may register on the website http://www.girlsday.uni-karlsruhe.de/.

At the Forschungszentrum, girls may experience what the work of an electronic technician or a wood mechanic looks like. They are informed about radiation protection and radioactivity, visit a chemical laboratory and try gas analyses with a mass spectrometer. The nearly 20 events, explains Dr. Julia Ehlermann, coordinator at the Center for Advanced Technological and Environmental Training (FTU), address various age groups. A few places are still free, registration is possible via the central website of the Girls’ Day under http://www.girls-day.de/. The girls will meet at 8.45 hrs at the FTU, where they will be provided with basic information on training at the Forschungszentrum. At 10 o’clock, they will go the laboratories and workshops. Some of the events will last until the early afternoon.

The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) represents the merger of the Universität Karlsruhe with the Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe. Altogether, it has 7500 employees and an annual budget of 600 million Euros.

The KIT will be an institution of internationally excellent research and teaching in natural and engineering sciences. KIT shall attract the best experts from all over the world, set new standards in teaching and promotion of young scientists, and establish the leading European center in the field of energy research. KIT will assume a leading role in nanosciences worldwide. It is the objective of KIT to be one of the most important cooperation partners of industry.