Schüleruni Maschinenbau - University for Pupils 2019
Highly Motivated Pupils participate in RWTH Pupils' University Mechanical Engineering
During the summer holidays, RWTH University and the Cluster of Excellence „Internet of Production“ were able to welcome highly motivated pupils from all over Germany and beyond within the frame of this year's Pupils' University Mechanical Engineering. 21 participants devoted a week of their summer holidays to the chance of discovering the reality and possibilities of studying mechanical engineering at RWTH University and gain hands-on experience.
This year, the event in which the new CoE „Internet of Production“ was involved for the first time, offered various theoretical and practical insights into exiting topics of production technology and the IoP, taking place from July 15-19. Starting with a warm welcome delivered by Dr. Matthias Brockmann, the Cluster's managing director, as well as Martin Walochnik of the Chair for Laser Technology on Monday, a week full of workshops, lectures and practical exercises, campus tours and discussion groups began for the 21 pupils. Especially the areas of robotics, production technology, laser technology as well as automotive engineering and textiles engineering were on the syllabus, giving the participants the chance to gather information and insights into the applicability of studying mechanical engineering and gettig their hands on the subject by taking part in practical workshops.
A few of the events attended by the pupils were a lecture with accompanying practical exercises on the topic of industrial robotics, hosted by Aline Kluge-Wilkes, the infamous Beer-Distribution-Game with Jokim Janßen and David Holtkemper (FIR) as well as a round-table discussion with local students of the engineering faculty under the guidance of Farah Jumpertz. Hands-on experience was gained on Wednesday at the pupils' lab RoboScope or in experimenting with light and optical systems at the Fraunhofer ILT. Luis, 17, from the greater Koblenz area, rates his participation in this year's University for pupils as follows: „There were many things I liked about the event. The simulator at the automotive engineering center with its strenght and force for example was very impressive.“ In a closing session, the pupils reflected on their stay. Many, like Leo, 16, commented positively on the chance to talk to local students and direct all their questions about Uni life at experts and rated the University for Pupils as a good decicion-making aid on their paths from their a-levels to becoming a university student.