Open labs, mind-blowing experiments and fascinating lectures: Thousands of inquisitive participants flocked to TUD Dresden University of Technology for the Dresden Science Night on June 20, 2025. On the TUD|Campus Südvorstadt as well as at many other university locations in Dresden, researchers and staff at TUD hosted over 200 events. Thousands of curious minds heeded the call; marveling and experimenting their way through the evening, whose action-packed schedule was already in full swing at 5:00 pm. The organizers recorded a whopping 46,000 visitors - beating the previous year’s turnout by around 16,000.

TUD’s researchers were not only able to impart their own enthusiasm for science in the wide range of activities on offer, they also actively encouraged visitors to get involved - for example by trying their hand at cryptography or by carrying out helium experiments. The AI Competence Center ScaDS.AI opened its doors to the public, and elsewhere visitors could learn about the dangers of arc faults at the National Arc fault Research Center (NARC) . Those with a burning interest in medicine could see the Da Vinci robot in action or visit a shock room, whilst our smaller visitors snacked on nitrogen ice cream or programmed Lego chemistry robots - unless we caught their eye with our experiments on water treatment or they fancied developing their very own molecules on the computer.

A few of our personal highlights from the 2025 Dresden Science Night

Wing profiles could be optimized in the Auditorium Center of the German Aerospace Center, while the COSMO Science Forum in the Kulturpalast gave life to data visualizations in an interactive and immersive experience. In the Saxon State and University Library (SLUB), visitors jumped at the opportunity to digitize old audio tapes or visit the library's Escape Room. Of course, the humanities and social sciences were not neglected at TUD and its partners - for example, we had economic simulation games and discussion rounds at the Hannah Arendt Institute for Totalitarianism Research.

After an evening chock-full of marveling, musing, participating — and recharging at one of the numerous food stands, there was time for visitors to catch their breath before the highlight of the evening began: The Science Slam — which brought science from the labs to the layperson. Organized by Unit Diversity Management TU Dresden, five women researchers took center stage. The slammers had ten minutes to explain and wow the audience with their research topic. Dr. Ina Hollerer from DRESDEN-concept partner Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics received the most frenetic applause for her slam, which she called "Hitchhiking through the Galaxy of Cells.” Her victory provided an equally insightful and entertaining conclusion to the 2025 Dresden Science Night.

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