Easy as pie!

May 2023 saw the launch of the new project "Kinderleicht!" (05/2023 - 04/2025) was launched in cooperation with FH JOANNEUM. The project is funded by the FFG funding program Talente Regional 2022 and aims to encourage pupils in their curiosity and thirst for research.

The aim of "Kinderleicht!" is to introduce children and young people in third and sixth grade to the topic of lightweight construction in an age-appropriate way, regardless of their origin, gender or educational background. To this end, so-called science workshops are planned and developed in which differentiated teaching materials are used. These are created together with teachers and researchers from FH JOANNEUM and the Inclusive Education and Remedial Psychology department. In the three science workshops, pupils from Graz and Hochsteiermark learn what lightweight construction means, how lightweight construction works and how it is implemented. The pupils also have the opportunity to visit companies such as HAGE Sondermaschinenbau GmbH and carbon-solutions Hintsteiner GmbH, as well as the Automotive Testing Lab at FH JOANNEUM.

"Kinderleicht!" conveys scientific and technical contexts in an age-appropriate way, links educational institutions, universities and companies in the Graz and Hochsteiermark region and shows pupils the training opportunities and professional fields in the field of automotive engineering. Female role models in particular are intended to sensitize and inspire girls for a career in the technical field.

At the end of the project, all materials will be made freely available for download.

Project management University of Graz: Lisa Paleczek
Project staff: Lukas Riedner(lukas.riedner(at)uni-graz.at)

Project partners:

• FH JOANNEUM - Institute of Automotive Engineering (Project manager: Bernhard Fuchs - bernhard.fuchs(at)fh-joanneum.at)
• HAGE Sondermaschinenbau GmbH
• carbon-solutions Hintsteiner GmbH