Oct 16, 2026
Returning to His Former School: ILK Researcher Supports the Next Generation of STEM Talent
From right to left: PhD student Lukas Prager, Dipl.-Ing. Aaron Reuter, and Dipl.-Ing. Jakob Adolphi during the “From Paper Airplanes to Passenger Aircraft” workshop at Landesschule Pforta.
For Dipl.-Ing. Aaron Reuter, a research associate at the Institute of Lightweight Engineering and Polymer Technology (ILK) at TU Dresden, the Technology Day held at Landesschule Pforta on October 15, 2026, was a full-circle moment. Together with two former classmates, he introduced students in the school’s science track to the physics of flight through a hands-on workshop.
Under the title “From Paper Airplanes to Passenger Aircraft: Exploring the Physics of Flight,” participants had the opportunity not only to learn about technical concepts but also to investigate them firsthand. Through a series of experiments, they explored the four forces acting on an aircraft: lift, weight, thrust, and drag.
The workshop offered plenty of hands-on activities. Students optimized their own paper airplanes by adjusting their center of gravity and conducted experiments using a propeller test rig. In the wind tunnel, they visualized airflow and measured lift and drag. These experiments helped them understand the physical principles that make flight possible.
From Former Student to STEM Educator
The workshop also held personal significance for Aaron Reuter. Having once attended Landesschule Pforta himself, he returned in a different role. Together with Lukas Prager, a PhD student in physics at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), and Dipl.-Ing. Jakob Adolphi, he gave students insights into topics that are part of his own professional work.
Supporting the Next Generation of STEM Talent at ILK
When researchers share their expertise beyond their day-to-day research activities, the right equipment is just as important as technical knowledge. At ILK, projects such as X-Garden help create these opportunities. The experimental setups and test rigs used during the workshop at Landesschule Pforta were provided through this project.
Supporting the next generation of STEM talent is an important part of the institute’s activities. Developing innovative solutions to complex engineering challenges in the future requires well-trained professionals with a strong interest in science and technology.