University of Bremen: University successful in the MINTchallenge

The University of Bremen’s MINTScience blog explains challenging research topics. Now the editorial team was successful in the MINTchallenge. In the competition of the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft it convinced the jury with its blog and took 3rd place.
Almost 50 teams from all over Germany took part in the MINT challenge. The jury rated them as particularly exemplary and innovative. The editorial team of the University of Bremen is pleased to be able to decorate the ScienceBlog with the title ‘excellent’ and the logo of the MINT challenge in the future . “We are united by a fascination for science and a passion for writing,” says Ronja Gronemeyer. The physics student has been a member of the editorial team for a few months and was largely responsible for the application. “We look behind closed laboratory and institute doors and share our insights with a diverse readership.”

Creative and lively
The MINT Science Blog presents research topics from the University of Bremen to a wider audience. The students and young researchers succeed in presenting complex issues in a generally understandable manner. The Science Blog platform is open to all members of the university. The editorial team supports you from the first idea to the published article and is always happy to welcome guest authors and editorial staff.

“Science lives from dialogue and critical discourse”
A number of articles in the “Process-Oriented Materials Research” master’s course have already been written. The “Research Processes” course focuses, among other things, on science communication. “With the ScienceBlogs we take writing as a form of communication in the MINT -Education,” says Dr . Hanna Lührs, who has been supporting the project since the end of 2020 with funds from the MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes . “Students and doctoral candidates report on their extraordinary projects and exciting research activities at the University of Bremen. This is how they give their STEM-Discipline a personal voice. ”MAPEX spokesman Professor Kurosch Rezwan is also enthusiastic about the format:“ Science lives from dialogue and critical discourse. The blog is a great way to make our research topics accessible to a wider audience and to get feedback. That is why I support the project as a spokesman for MAPEX. “

Editorial team plans ScienceBlogcast
With the prize money of the MINT challenge of 2,000 euros, the editorial team would like to participate in the science communication forum and organize further training and a writing night. 2021 is therefore the year for the Science Blog to get started. There are enough ideas: For example, a science blogcast should complement the format. In the future, you will not only be able to read the articles, you will also be able to hear them.
The Science Blog celebrates its fifth anniversary in autumn. It has launched in 2016 Dr . Annika Rodenhauser as an initiative of the MINT writing workshopof the University of Bremen. The former university employee built and managed it as part of the “ForstAintegriert” project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). Annika Rodenhauser now researches and teaches at the University of Lüneburg, where she also runs a science blog as part of a seminar.

What is the MINT challenge ?
With the MINT challenges , the MINT Club – an initiative of the Stifterverband – is looking for ideas that will innovatively shape and further develop MINT education in Germany. The winning projects are made available to other MINT actors as best practice examples as inspiration. So now the Bremen project, which scored points in the third MINT challenge with the motto ” MINT each other in dialogue – new ways in science communication”.