Pupils or teachers can ‘hire’ physicists from the University of Oldenburg to give a talk at their school. Professors and research assistants then explain their fields of research and other topics in physics in a way that is easy for everyone to understand. For example, they provide insights into the microcosm, the universe, or energy and environmental physics.
This special initiative, launched by the Institute of Physics at the University of Oldenburg, is called “Rent-a-Prof”. “Rent-a-Prof is a special service offered by our Institute of Physics,” explains Prof. Dr Michael Komorek, a lecturer in physics education and the programme’s initiator. “It enables us to cover current topics in physics research, most of which actually fit in well with the core curriculum. Our aim is to facilitate a direct exchange of information between teachers, pupils and physicists about the fascinating world of physics. And we’re also happy to discuss study opportunities!” Pupils and teachers can choose from talks such as ‘Human hearing from a physics perspective’, ‘The Wondrous World of the Theory of Relativity – Explaining Paradoxical Effects in an Accessible Way’, ‘Colourful Spinning’ or ‘Good Rays, Bad Rays – Medical Applications of Radiation Physics’. The physicists deliver their free lectures either during school hours or at evening events. The idea for “Rent-a-Prof” originated during Oldenburg’s year as “City of Science 2009”. At that time, Komorek launched the “Physics In The City” lecture series, which provided information on current fields of research in physics in a way that was accessible to a general audience. Over 600 members of the public attended the lectures at the time. Registrations and enquiries regarding “Rent-A-Prof” can be made by email: or by telephone: 0441/798-2736.