Mar 28, 2025
CVT event as part of "proTechnicale Sachsen"
Studies commissioned by the VDI e.V. show that around 30% of male school pupils with good grades can imagine studying a technical subject. In contrast, only 12-20% of female pupils do so. The problem - many girls believe that jobs in the technical field offer poorer career and salary opportunities for women. For precisely this reason, it is important to make women and their careers in science and technology more visible, because "you can't be what you can't see!".
The "proTechnicale" project has set itself the task of encouraging young girls and women to deepen their interest in STEM subjects and to show them the diverse prospects in the STEM sector. As part of this project, the Chair of Chemical Process Engineering welcomed seven girls to the VVT Hall at Dresden University of Technology on 15.03.2025.
Dr. Sara Marchini and Carolin Deuter first introduced the topic of process engineering and the many specializations. A real process engineering problem was then presented: The separation of CO2 from the air in order to synthesize e-fuels from it.
After the principle of CO2 absorption was explained, the students, equipped with R&I flow diagrams, went to the absorption plant, where the Chair of Energy Process Engineering and the Chair of Chemical Process Engineering are conducting joint research. Dr. Marchini explained the process directly at the plant, a sample was taken from both columns and analyzed in the laboratory together with the girls. Afterwards, the girls had the opportunity to ask any questions they still had about the engineering profession over apple juice spritzer and cake.
The offer for schoolgirls interested in STEM is constantly growing. The event showed the young women that technical professions not only offer an opportunity to actively shape our future, but that they can also be pretty cool.