Science Communication

Many people cannot comprehend the significance of science for society. They have few points of contact with technical innovations in their everyday lives and are at times critical of them. With TU Braunschweig’s participative project “Licht aus Ideen” (Light from ideas), fascinating light impressions are to build an emotional bridge to the engineering sciences.

In a series of workshops, participants without previous knowledge will first of all learn technical details and acquire practical competence in order to build flying drones on their own, as well as acquiring basic programming skills for devising creative light animations. As the highlight and conclusion of the project, the jointly developed visual motifs will be presented in a public drone show, which is scheduled for late December 2026 in Braunschweig. The Daimler and Benz Foundation is supporting this project with around €30,000 as part of its “Innovative Science Communication” funding line.

From acquiring basic knowledge to carrying out the final tests, the participants will be supervised by scientists and students from the Technical University of Braunschweig; this will give rise to an intensive and personal exchange. The active participation, the creative design opportunities, and the publicly visible outcome will make technology directly experienceable for participants and onlookers alike.

This project particularly addresses people without a technical or scientific background and those who are skeptical of technology or only have a limited background in education. The concept can be adapted for further venues and scientific contexts. The goal is to enhance appreciation for the engineering sciences.