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Institute of Chemistry, IfC University of Oldenburg / Matthias Knust
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The school internship as study orientation: Felix Haas on his school internship at the IfC
After a short email to the office of the Institute of Chemistry, he was offered an internship in Dr Lars Mohrhusen's working group: "I was allowed to do my internship in technical chemistry with the Hybrid Catalysts working group of Dr Lars Mohrhusen. There I was able to get to know the group and also learn how devices such as a scanning tunnelling microscope or an ultra-high vacuum system work, which are used for measuring and testing samples. I was even allowed to work with a smaller version of the scanning tunnelling microscope myself and get to know the physical principles behind it in practice."
The internship was organised in such a way that Felix was also able to gain an insight into other areas of chemistry and physics: "I spent days in technical and physical chemistry and also in chemistry didactics. I was able to gain an insight into research into new treatment methods, surface structures and quantum mechanics. I also learnt more about the scientific use of light and lasers for analysing samples and was able to take a look inside a laser laboratory. I spent two days in the physics department and got to know the Institutes of Chemistry and Physics, combined with a tour of the university building."
A school internship can make it easier for pupils to decide whether to study natural sciences. By interacting with researchers and people involved in teaching, pupils gain an initial impression of what studying at a university is like.
The internship far exceeded my expectations. On the one hand, the programme, which gave me an insight into the chemical and physical work as well as the course of studies through the many different days. And secondly, the nice people I got to know over the course of the two weeks. Looking back, I can well imagine studying chemistry and am glad to have gained such an insight into research.
