As part of the MINToringSi program, one of two student groups was selected as the winner of the five-month project phase, which concluded at the end of June at the Haus der Siegerländer Wirtschaft. The winning project, supervised by MINTorin Désirée Schütz, focused on biodegradable plastic for food packaging.
Following the submission of their written reports, both groups had the opportunity to present their projects — including working prototypes — to an interested audience of company representatives, members of the University of Siegen, school officials, and parents. The project of the runner-up group, supervised by MINToren Tobias Girresser and Jonas Nöh, was titled “Phoenix – Drones Without Motors for Transporting Medicines.”
The jury evaluated the projects based on four categories: Originality of the Topic, Social Relevance, Quality of Research and Documentation, and Presentation of Results. The winning group achieved an excellent overall score of 1.5.
“In addition to the extensive lab work, in-depth research, and strong presentation, the jury was especially impressed by how structured and consistent the group was in pursuing their project,” said Dr. Thomas Reppel, program coordinator at the University of Siegen, in his laudatory speech.
“The group not only demonstrated excellent time management but also showed remarkable teamwork,” added Julia Förster, program coordinator from the Association of Siegerland Metal Industrialists (VdSM). The end result — a biodegradable bowl designed for sweets — was presented in working condition to the impressed audience.
“Both projects went far beyond typical school assignments in terms of scope and interdisciplinary content, offering participants a first glimpse into university studies and potential career paths,” agreed program supervisors Julia Förster (Employers’ Associations of Siegen-Wittgenstein) and Dr. Thomas Reppel (University of Siegen).
In their opening remarks, Julia Förster (program coordinator at VdSM), Prof. Dr. Holger Schönherr (Dean of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Technology IV, University of Siegen), and Ralf Heidenreich (Head of the Arnsberg District School Board) emphasized the importance of fostering young talent in STEM fields. All three agreed that the MINToringSi coaching program provides valuable orientation for students as they consider their post-graduation futures.
The event was moderated by Pawel Malicki and concluded with musical performances of “I'm Still Standing,” “We Are the Champions,” “My Heart is Like a Jungle Drum,” and “It’s Not About the Money” by the acoustic duo Lena Plata and Ugo Loi of “NaK Acoustic.”
