30 girls. Five workshops. A day at the heart of research.
Thirty girls aged between 12 and 16 visited us at LIN for Girls' Day. They had a look around, asked some questions and tried to do some research for themselves, all while the factory was still open and people were working.
There were five workshops, lots of different views, and the same question in all of them: how does the brain actually learn?
In the lab, they cut, stained and made discoveries under the microscope. In other sessions, we talked about behaviour, data and how we make decisions. What at first seemed huge and complicated became real on this day. I understand. And it's closely linked to what everyone knows from their everyday lives, like learning, remembering and knowing where you are.
Some of the girls had come straight from Magdeburg, while others had travelled a long way. The longest journey: about 180 kilometres from Walsrode to Brenneckestraße for a day full of ideas about possible futures.
This was made possible by 22 colleagues who planned, prepared and opened their doors. They shared what they do every day, answered questions and showed what research really looks like. The difference is that science becomes something you can experience through direct interaction.
What we can take away from this is curiosity and new ways of thinking. Some people might think, "Could this be my path too?"
This is also clear when we look at what happens afterwards: lots of people ask about internships. This shows what can happen on such days. It's a chance for us to look at our own lives in a new way and see how interesting and important they are.
