The goal of our project is to help future scientists in their research, with that in mind we focus our human practice work on future scientists. That ranges from helping students find their way into science or making sure young scientists stay healthy and inspired.
Experimenta
The open day in our youth research center, Experimenta, was a great opportunity to present projects from different science and engineering competitions. We interacted with extremely motivated, science-interested pupils and students, as well as visitors from all age groups. This event not only showcased a wide range of scientific ideas, but also facilitated the exchange of ideas, networking, and future project opportunities.
We took the chance to present our iGEM project at this event. It allowed us to discuss our project with individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives. This experience was immensely helpful as it made us more open-minded about the potential impacts and various applications of our tool, enhancing our understanding of the broader context in which our work could be used.
Figure 1: 
Julian explaining our project at the experimenta
Figure 2: 
Project demonstration at the experimenta
Faktor 14
Faktor 14 is a student-organized science magazine at our university. Every semester, they release a magazine featuring articles on various student projects and research from all faculties. Most of these articles are also published online on their website: https://www.faktor14magazin.de.
For the upcoming issue, we wrote an article about our iGEM project. In this article, we introduced the concept of iGEM, presented our team, explained our project, and highlighted the possible applications of our tool. Currently, we are working on refining the article with the help of Frederik Schanzenberger, a member of the editorial staff. He is assisting us with clarifying certain aspects of our article to make it more accessible to readers from various disciplines.
Through this process, we have come to realize the challenges involved in explaining our specialized topic to students from other fields. However, we understand that clear communication is a crucial skill for researchers, and we are grateful for Frederik's guidance. We hope to publish the article in the magazine in the next semester.
Mental Health Workshops: A Journey of Understanding and Impact
Initial Motivation: Addressing an Overlooked Issue
Our mental health workshop series began with an eye-opening survey conducted among molecular medicine students. The results were alarming—nearly 30% of respondents reported that they were either actively seeking psychological help or already in therapy. This percentage, significantly higher than we had anticipated, highlighted a critical issue: despite the widespread prevalence of mental health struggles, few students openly discussed their challenges or felt supported in their academic environment.
Driven by these findings, we decided to take action. We wanted to create a space where students could share their experiences, learn from one another, and gain a better understanding of the mental health challenges they might face during their studies. Our initial approach focused on addressing common but often misunderstood symptoms like procrastination, stress, and performance pressure. While these topics were widely relevant, our true aim was to break the silence around mental health and build a supportive community where these conversations could take place freely.
Workshop 1: Understanding the Challenges Students Face
Topics Covered: Procrastination, stress management, work-life balance, and performance pressure.
Setup: Informal circle seating with interactive elements, card system for engagement, and speakers sharing personal stories.
Side goal: reaking the Ice and building trust
Our first workshop targeted issues that almost every student encounters at some point in their academic career—procrastination, stress, and balancing academic responsibilities. We realized that while these issues may seem like typical "student problems," they can be indicators of more serious mental health concerns when left unchecked. Our approach was to invite speakers who had experienced these challenges firsthand and were willing to share their personal stories. They spoke openly about how these struggles affected their day-to-day life and what strategies they tried to overcome them.
To foster a sense of community and encourage participants to open up, we avoided traditional lecture-style formats. Instead, we opted for an informal circle seating arrangement, where everyone could see each other and feel equally included. We introduced a card system to make it easier for participants to engage: a green card indicated "I feel the same," while a white card meant "I’d like to add something." This simple system allowed everyone to contribute without feeling pressured to speak up, creating an environment of mutual support.
The atmosphere was intentionally relaxed, with breaks between discussions to give participants time to process what was shared. The combination of storytelling, personal experiences, and interactive discussion helped build trust, and by the end of the session, participants who had initially been hesitant were more open to sharing their own stories.
Workshop 2: Shifting the Focus to Deeper Issues
Topics Covered: Depression, anxiety and panic attacks, eating disorders.
Setup: Prioritizing the same group of participants, adding new speakers with lived experiences in specific mental health disorders, maintaining an interactive and supportive format.
After the first workshop, we took a step back to assess its impact. While the discussions were rich and meaningful, we noticed a gap: participants talked openly about stress and procrastination, but almost no one mentioned deeper mental health issues like anxiety or depression. This stood in stark contrast to our initial survey results, which showed that 30% of students were seeking professional help for these exact disorders. We realized that while students recognized their symptoms, they might not fully understand when these symptoms indicated a more serious issue. This insight led us to refocus our efforts.
In the second workshop, we expanded the topics to address specific mental health disorders: depression, panic attacks, and eating disorders. Each speaker shared not only how these disorders affected their lives but also how they sought help, the challenges they faced in doing so, and what support systems were crucial to their recovery. We chose to use the same speakers and invite the same participants from the first workshop, prioritizing continuity to build on the trust that had been established.
To further enhance the workshop’s impact, we added a new segment dedicated to navigating the mental health system. This included information on where to seek help, how to approach a counsellor or therapist, and what to expect from the process. We concluded with a discussion on how to support friends or colleagues who might be struggling, emphasizing empathy and active listening.
Adjustments: Building a Better Support Framework
Reflecting on both workshops, we identified several key elements that contributed to their success, as well as areas for improvement:
- Creating Continuity: Having the same participants and speakers across multiple workshops helped deepen the trust and openness in the group. We recommend holding a series of sessions rather than one-off events to achieve a similar effect.
- Flexible Interaction: The interactive format, combined with storytelling, was crucial in creating an inclusive atmosphere. We plan to continue using informal seating, card-based engagement, and a conversational style in future workshops.
- Providing Emotional Support: In future sessions, we will ensure that the venue has two doors, allowing participants to discreetly exit if they feel overwhelmed. A separate room with a designated support person will be available to provide a quiet space for those who need it.
- Creating a Comfortable Setting: Instead of using traditional lecture halls, we aim to create a more relaxed atmosphere, similar to a coffee shop. We envision using a café or lounge setting with sofas and comfortable seating, so participants feel as if they are having a conversation in a cozy living room.
- Incorporating Breaks and Refreshments: To foster a welcoming and relaxed environment, we plan to include breaks with tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and snacks such as fruit and cookies. This approach will make the sessions feel more like an informal gathering, reducing anxiety and making it easier for participants to engage.
What’s Next: Expanding Our Reach and Sharing Our Experience
Our work is far from over. Encouraged by the positive response, we have started collaborating with the biochemistry department to adapt our workshops to their specific needs. We anticipate that burnout and toxic lab environments will be more prominent concerns in other natural sciences disciplines. By tailoring the content to each group, we hope to make these sessions relevant and impactful across different fields.
Beyond expanding the workshops within our university, we are also working to build a network of mental health advocates. We will organize a networking session for other student associations to share our materials, experiences, and strategies, encouraging them to create similar workshops in their departments. Our long-term goal is to establish a university-wide support network where every department has its own peer-to-peer resource for mental health.
Key Takeaway and Call to Action
We believe that everyone can play a role in improving mental health support within their community. If you see the importance of these issues, we encourage you to consider running similar workshops. We are happy to share our materials, offer advice, and help tailor the format to meet your group’s specific needs. Mental health is a shared responsibility, and by working together, we can make a lasting impact.
Confidentiality and Respect for Personal Stories
Out of respect for our participants and the sensitive nature of the topics discussed, we have decided not to include any names or pictures in this text. The stories shared during these workshops are personal and were entrusted to us with the understanding that they would remain confidential. Maintaining this trust is essential to fostering a safe and supportive environment, and we believe it is a standard that should be upheld in all future workshops.