The MS Wissenschaft, an initiative by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research describes itself as “a floating science center with exhibits for testing and participation”. At anchor in Vienna, the ship offered a unique environment for more than 100 high school students to follow the ChETEC-INFRA Masterclass on astrophysics.
Led by Stephanie Adler and Alexander Wieser, two PhD students from the VERA accelerator laboratory at the University of Vienna, the high school students discovered how the chemical elements that surround us are created in the Universe, and how scientists seek a better understanding of these processes with the help of experiments in ion beam accelerator laboratories on Earth.
The masterclass “A Journey through the Elements” is designed for students age 15 and up, and provided free of charge to the hosting schools. Class materials are available in various languages, further information and contact information for booking inquiries can be found on the Masterclass web page.
