EngageMINT

The project is carried out by two institutes of the Leibniz Research Alliance, the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research (TROPOS) and the Leibniz Institute for Science and Mathematics Education (IPN), as well as by the Institute of Educational Science at Leibniz University Hannover (LUH). The aim is to provide young people with insights into scientific working methods and to inspire them for research and discovery. TROPOS contributes its expertise from more than 30 years of research on clouds, aerosols, and their interactions, while the educational science partners develop methods to effectively communicate this content.

At the core of the project is an accompanying study that investigates how young people can be sustainably motivated to engage with STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Questions such as the influence of individual interests, social interactions, or playful elements on learning motivation and learning outcomes are analyzed. In addition, the study examines whether such projects can have a long-term impact on the participants’ career orientation. The required data are collected anonymously via a specially developed online platform and through questionnaires.

Workshops form the central component of the project. After a group has registered, students can sign up on the learning platform. There, they first complete a questionnaire assessing their motivation and interests. They then use a digital learning map to playfully explore the fundamentals of air quality research. Students collect points and skills to track their progress. After completing another short questionnaire, the practical part of the workshop begins: using a self-built and programmed measurement device, the students investigate air quality, develop their own research questions, or work on predefined topics. The results are presented and discussed together. At the end of the workshop, a final questionnaire is completed to enable the overall evaluation.

The scientific content of the workshop is based on TROPOS research, which focuses on the lower atmosphere, particularly aerosols, gases, clouds, and their interactions. The measurement instrument developed for the workshop, based on the SenseBox© system, enables participants to carry out precise measurements without prior knowledge. The sensors of the box measure particulate matter mass (PM2.5), CO₂ concentration, as well as temperature, humidity, pressure, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These data form the basis for participants’ own experiments and research questions, which are addressed by the students in small groups. The results are then jointly reflected upon. In this way, the project not only conveys knowledge about air quality research, but also addresses a broad range of STEM-related topics.