Events

We braved the long thunderstorm and simply moved the hands-on activities under the roof. The speed dating session with Vladi Barayeu and Johannes Hunger took place in the lecture hall, and the two were in constant conversation with the young, curious visitors.
Equally well attended was the children’s university session in the lecture hall with Katharina Landfester on the topic of ‘17 Goals for the Future’, and the design students’ augmented reality projects could be tried out and admired in the foyer after the best competition entries had been awarded prizes.

In collaboration with the Grüne Schule, we ran a two-part workshop for upper school students. Led by Dr. Ute Becker, the workshop began with a session on fibre plants in the Botanical Garden. The session continued along the Polymer Path, focusing on synthetic fibres and regenerated fibres. Christine Rosenauer and Ulrike Schneider highlighted the properties of various synthetic fibres in comparison to plant-based and animal-based fibres. Other key topics included the categorisation of textiles, the textile supply chain, and the recycling of mono- and blended fibres.

“Wissens Bissen” has started its second round. This time, the topic was “Plant-based – the future? What do researchers think about meat substitutes”. The topic clearly appealed to a wide audience, as the room was packed to capacity. However, this was not only down to the topic itself, but also to the excellent speakers: Thomas Vilgis, a food scientist, and Gunther Hirschfelder, a cultural anthropologist. Two experts with different perspectives on the topic of veganism. Followed by a get-together and a blind tasting featuring all varieties of meat sausage.

This year, the Children's University and Family Day took place on the university campus under the motto ‘Time’. Recycling involves long, complex processes. If it were more efficient, we could significantly reduce waste. And: plastic does not belong in the sea. A new puzzle shows how long the decomposition process takes and how it pollutes waterways and thus harms humans and the environment.

New location. New formats. This year, the WiMa took place in front of the state parliament. And on Friday, a new offering exclusively for schools was introduced. We did a role-play: ‘The journey of a nanocapsule, past the lungs, liver and phagocytes’. At the stand itself, we offered hands-on PET recycling and demonstrated how bioplastics can be made.

The Dr. Ursula Grübler-Schoch Prize was awarded to the Path by the Association for the Promotion of STEM Professions in Lindau.

The path was recognised as one of the top 20 projects at the National Award for Education for Sustainable Development (BNE). In the category „Lernorte“, the path is considered an outstanding educational project in Germany.

Many families attended the open day at the Polymer Path. The programme included a children's university, speed dating and guided tours. On stage, lots of children helped Prof. Katharina Landfester bake a Black Forest gateau, while three researchers were on hand to answer questions during the speed dating session.

A new series has been launched: ‘Wissen Bissen’. Jonathan Jung from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and Katharina Landfester discussed the topic of ‘Corals as rubbish dumps – What does research say about the threat posed by microplastics?’ in a relaxed atmosphere. Many young people were sitting in the audience and asked lots of questions afterwards. There was a very good dialogue on the current topic.

Pupils from the Klarenthal campus and the Diltheyschule in Wiesbaden visited the Polymer Path. Prof. Katharina Landfester began with a presentation on the ‘Sustainability of plastics’. This was followed by a quiz on the path and a final challenge: who can best wrap the egg so that it can be thrown out of the window!

This was the title of the evening event organised by the MPI-P together with biomindz. The focus was on nanotechnology in the field of plant medicine and its potential to protect plants from diseases or to cure them. This research project was launched at the MPI-P and was specifically aimed at combating a fungus that attacks and destroys grapevines. In the meantime, a start-up has been founded and research is being conducted into further areas of application. Prof. Katharina Landfester and Alexander Throm presented the basic research and explained how a spin-off start-up can be established. Many guests from the biotechnology sector and science were present and used the walk along the Polymer Path and the subsequent networking to exchange ideas.

Around 250 visitors came to the family day and took advantage of the wide range of activities including a children's university, guided tours, speed dating and a pupils' photo competition. Prof. Katharina Landfester explained in the lecture hall how megaplastics become microplastics and three researchers were available to answer questions at the speed dating event. The guided tours to various theme worlds were also gratefully received to learn more about polymers.

On 9 July 2023, the two Max Planck Institutes for Polymer Research and Chemistry opened their doors. More than 1,000 visitors took a look at the laboratories, participated in numerous chemical experiments and listened to many lectures. The Polymer Path was also open to the public. Even the Mayor Nino Haase took a tour together with Prof. Katharina Landfester who explained the exhibits to him.

The last stations have been completed – this had to be celebrated properly. More than 80 guests came to the celebration and followed the small stage program with the science show “Forschperspektive”, who welcomed the guests with a walk act and introduced the “Nano Earworm” on stage. Prof. Tim Henning from the Philosophical Seminar Mainz discussed nanomedicine with Prof. Katharina Landfester on the “Red Couch”. Prof. Henning looked at the topic from an ethical point of view, which could mean great progress for people's health, but could also harbor dangers. 

In cooperation with the Science Alliance Mainz, a discussion took place between Prof. Katharina Landfester, MPI for Polymer Research, and Prof. Sebastian Seiffert, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. The topic: “Has the end of the plastics age arrived?”. The two scientists discussed in a 15-minute talk in the old town of Mainz what opportunities lie in plastics or polymers for the future. 

Most of the exhibits were ceremonially inaugurated and numerous guests were able to attend the award ceremony for students from Mainz University of Applied Sciences. In the course of an architectural competition, the winning project “wowood” was chosen, which was erected in the fall of 2021 and is part of the path. Furthermore, “special polymers” were presented by PhD students and two dancers from the Staatstheater Mainz performed on the topic of “amorphous polymer structure”.