13 July 2026
Last week, ten highly motivated students from further education colleges across North Rhine-Westphalia gained first-hand experience of a wide range of research fields at Forschungszentrum Jülich. Shortly before completing their Abitur, they undertook individual short placements at several institutes and participated in guided tours, lectures, and discussions.
The programme gave them a unique opportunity to explore their interest in a future career in STEM - science, technology, engineering, and mathematics - and to reflect on their choice of degree programme in a practical research environment.
At a concluding round-table discussion with a representative of the Ministry of School and Education of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, the participants and their mentors shared their experiences. Together, they reflected on how the insights gained during the placement week might shape the students' future academic and career choices. A representative from Corporate Development also presented the employment and career opportunities available at Forschungszentrum Jülich.
The placement week forms part of the proMINat Study Academy programme. For the past 20 years, Forschungszentrum Jülich has worked with the Ministry of School and Education of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia to provide targeted support for students attending further education colleges. Applicants are required to submit a written application and demonstrate a particular interest in mathematics, computer science, the natural sciences, and technology.
The programme is organised by JuLab, Jülich's school laboratory. Dedicated mentors from a range of scientific institutes support the participants throughout the week. In this way, proMINat opens up new perspectives, enabling students to learn about current research projects and become actively involved in them.
This year, the following institute divisions and facilities took part in the placement week: the Department of Physics of Nanoscale Systems at the Ernst Ruska-Centre for Microscopy and Spectroscopy with Electrons (ER-C-1); the Departments of Molecular Organisation of the Brain (INM-2) and Cognitive Neuroscience (INM-3) at the Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine; the Institute for Advanced Simulation - Data Analytics and Machine Learning (IAS-8); the Institute of Technology and Engineering (ITE); the Institute of Fusion Energy and Nuclear Waste Management - Plasma Physics (IFN-1); and the Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC).
