The “22nd Brandenburg Future Day” (“Brandenburger Zukunftstag”) took place on 25 April – and the GFZ was there again, under the motto: “The Earth is our laboratory – working at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences”. For one day, 30 pupils were given an insight into the everyday life of various professions at a large international scientific research centre: they were able to learn and experience how scientists, laboratory technicians, technicians and administrative staff work, which professional fields are involved and which training paths are available.

Organised by the GFZ's School Lab, the pupils got to know the GFZ and its professions in all their diversity.

In the School Lab, they were able to make a volcano erupt in the School Lab and assemble and try out seismometers to record earthquakes. In addition, 14 different GFZ sections, their laboratories and our administrative units opened their doors this year.

Some impressions are shown in the picture gallery above.

Among other things, plants and stones were prepared and analysed using state-of-the-art microbiological, spectroscopic and microscopic methods, landscape changes were simulated on a laboratory scale, electronic measuring devices were built, borehole measurements prepared and data processed. And a simulation game was prepared for the lessons, which focussed on the process currently taking place in Germany to find a final storage site for highly radioactive nuclear waste. The students also learnt how employment contracts are drawn up, finances planned, goods and services procured and construction projects planned and managed.

At the GFZ, the young people were able to register for one of the following stations: Electronics Lab, Final Disposal of High-Level Radioactive Waste, Geochemical Lab, High Pressure/High Temperature Experiments, Geomorphology Section Labs, Molecular and Microbiological Labs, Preparation Lab, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Seismology-Earthquake Research, Experience Tectonics, Borehole Measurements, ICP-MS and Laser-ICP-MS Labs, XRD and EPMA Labs, SIMS Lab.

Background: Brandenburger Zukunftstag – Brandenburg Future Day

On Future Day for Girls and Boys, businesses, companies, universities and many other institutions in the state of Brandenburg give pupils from grade 7 onwards an insight into a wide range of professional fields. The aim is to enable girls and boys to try out professions directly and discover their dream job – regardless of outdated role clichés.

The “Future Day for Girls and Boys in the State of Brandenburg” takes place annually in parallel to the nationwide “Girls' and Boys' Day” and is initiated by the Brandenburg Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport.

(Edited on 30 April: There were 31 young people in science and 19 in administration, i.e. 50 in total).

More information:

• Website of the Brandenburg Future Day
• Information about training and studying at the GFZ