Under the theme “Little Wonders,” nearly 60 children ages 8 to 12 visited the Faculty of Engineering in Rüsselsheim on October 3 as part of the “Türen auf mit der Maus” open house. The idea to participate in the “Türen auf mit der Maus” Day came from Maria Wiesmann and Gwen Kaufmann, both self-proclaimed Maus fans. Their idea was enthusiastically embraced by the Dean's Office. Other colleagues were quickly recruited, and together they developed a varied program.
Four Workshops, Many Little Wonders
The result was four different workshops:
Maria Wiesmann and Gwen Kaufmann introduced the children to the topic of project management in a playful way. The “Reaching New Heights Together!” workshop called for teamwork and creative solutions. Working together, the children designed structures and built towers out of various materials that were meant to be as tall and stable as possible. They competed in groups to see who could build the tallest tower within a set time limit. For example, the young researchers had to build towers out of paper and tape, toothpicks and modeling clay, or floral foam discs.
Katharina Urschel, a laboratory engineer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, helped the children build a “Solar Runner” during the workshop “Fill Your Tank with the Sun.” This solar-powered race car is driven by two wooden gears connected to an electric motor. A photovoltaic module supplies the energy. In a playful way, the children gained insight into how a gearbox and a simple electrical circuit work and learned how energy can be generated using photovoltaics. The practical test in the campus courtyard was a complete success: Powered by the sun, the little race cars zipped over rough and smooth terrain.
In the workshop “Knead – Switch – Marvel,” Michael Ballhorn, professor of chemistry for engineers with a specialization in organic and analytical chemistry, with the support of Christian Glockner, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, and the inquisitive young researchers, created conductive and non-conductive modeling clay for insulation. With great enthusiasm, the children molded animals and figures, which they made glow using simple electrical circuits.
Colin Rockett and his colleagues in the Makerspace laboratory had prepared three different projects for the children in the workshop “Working in a DIY Paradise”: Using laser-cut wooden pieces, the children built a flying dinosaur, and by solving 3D-printed puzzle games, they were able to demonstrate their logical thinking. The third task was to build bridges out of popsicle sticks and 3D-printed connectors, which were then tested for their load-bearing capacity.
Enthusiasm Among Children and Parents
All four workshops were met with great enthusiasm. The children approached the activities with curiosity, creativity, and joy. It was especially wonderful to see how they developed solutions together, supported one another, and proudly presented their results.
Siblings and parents were also well taken care of: In the foyer, there were activities for making various paper airplanes, a coloring station with pictures of a mouse, an elephant, and a duck, a Carrera racetrack with loops, and a 3D printer that visitors could watch in action. Refreshments included a cake buffet and coffee in the foyer, as well as soft drinks in the campus beer garden.
Beaming children’s eyes, happy parents, and overwhelmingly positive feedback: The “Open Doors with Maus” Day was a resounding success and must be repeated.
The event was made possible by the tremendous support of the Dean's Office, the staff of Hochschule RheinMain – University of Applied Sciences and Arts, and all other participants. Their dedication and active assistance were instrumental in making it a thoroughly successful event.
The Faculty of Engineering would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to all supporters as well as to the curious visitors. The first “Open Doors with Die Maus” Day at the Rüsselsheim Campus impressively demonstrated that technology is fun—especially when you can discover it together.
A heartfelt thank you also goes to WDR, which supported us with a wide variety of “Maus” materials and promotional efforts.