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Government Funds Bremen and Bremerhaven STEM Cluster Named “meerMINT”

Success for the meerMINT STEM cluster in Bremen State. New recreational offers are being created for children and youths who are particularly interested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (in short: STEM). The aim is to expediently strengthen their interests and talents.

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding the regional consortium with over 670,000 euros until 2023.

The meerMINT network is one of the 22 STEM clusters that is being supported across the country. The involved partners are the University of Bremen, Jacobs University, M2C - Institute for Applied Media Technologies and Culture at the University of Applied Sciences Bremen, PHÄNOMENTA Bremerhaven e.V, and Universum Managementges. mbH.

Repairing Toasters or Programming Robots

Learning to play an instrument, trying out a sport, meeting up with friends in the afternoon: That is part of leisure time for many children and youths in Bremen and Bremerhaven. However, there are no relevant option for those who wants to repair a toaster, program a robot, develop their own cosmetics, or learn more about the causes and consequences of climate change in the afternoon or during the holidays.

meerMINT Creates Options at Four Locations

The meerMINT cluster is set to change things in the coming year. In the frame of low-threshold, mass services, the network partners are creating four STEM support points in Bremer and Bremerhaven. The so-called meerMINT “docks” are the starting points for the cluster’s leisure offers for children and youths between the ages of 10 and 16. The docks provide the chance to encounter STEM close to home and during set opening hours.

The network partners are also creating options centered on the topic of the ocean for children and youths who are particularly interested in STEM subjects and those who attract attention at the meerMINT docks due to their particular interest. One of the aims of this is to promote the establishment of clubs that meet regularly.

The cluster’s goal is that its offers lead to the creation of a regional meerMINT community where those interested in STEM can meet regularly and communicate with each other. After the funding period has passed, it is intended that the network partners continue to run the cluster in the form of an association.

Strong Partners for STEM Promotion in Bremen State

The meerMINT cluster was applied for under the coordination of the University of Bremen together with Jacobs University, M2C - Institute for Applied Media Technologies and Culture at the University of Applied Sciences Bremen, PHÄNOMENTA Bremerhaven e.V, and Universum Managementges. mbH. Over a period of 36 funding months, the Federal Ministry of Education and Research is providing 670,000 euros. Within the cluster, the money will be used for new positions, the docks will be rebuilt in terms of their infrastructure, and a training program for supervisors will be developed – to name a few uses.

The network partners are receiving support from several regional agents from the field of STEM promotion for the creation of the cluster. The first initiative came from a MINTforum Bremen network meeting at the beginning of this year. The MINTforum Bremen was established in 2016 with the goal of interconnecting the diverse and numerous STEM activities and STEM agents in Bremen State.

Further Information:

https://www.bildung-forschung.digital/de/mint-cluster-fuer-jugendliche-starten-3526.html (in German only)

https://mintforum.bremen.de/ (in German only)

 

Contact:

Dr. Martin Heinlein
UniTransfer – Transfer Office
University of Bremen
Phone: +49 (0)421 218-60330
Email: martin.heinleinprotect me ?!vw.uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de

Dr. Freia Hardt
Jacobs University
Phone: +49 421 200 4343/4340
Email: f.hardtprotect me ?!jacobs-universityprotect me ?!.de

Martin Koplin
M2C Institut für angewandte Medienforschung GmbH an der Hochschule Bremen
Phone: +49-421-62659622 OR +49-421-5905-5402
Email: koplinprotect me ?!m2c-bremenprotect me ?!.de

PHÄNOMENTA Bremerhaven e.V.
Dr. Petra Brandt
Email: phaenomenta-bremerhaven@t-online.de
Dr. Christine Schorr
Universum Managementges. mbH
Email: c.schorrprotect me ?!universum-bremenprotect me ?!.de

 

 

MINT-Forum 2019
Tinkering and calculating can be a great deal of fun: School pupils at the STEM Day 2019 in the Universum.