Crime drama premiere in the park

Stepping away from the typical university routine and conveying knowledge in an accessible way, thereby building a bridge to the region’s residents – that is one of the roles of science communication. Mittweida University of Applied Sciences’ Children’s University is one such bridge to the youngest members of the community. It has now been given a summer upgrade, offering even more interaction and personalisation. Why sit in a lecture theatre in the summer when the nearby Schwanenteich Park offers so many new possibilities?

In the early hours of 17 June 2023, a very special team set to work: 25 Children’s University students and their parents joined forces with the Forensics Department of Mittweida University of Applied Sciences to search for clues. They were tasked with solving a tricky case: the stag from the enclosure at Schwanenteich Park had gone missing. The crime scene was littered with tell-tale clues.

The open-air lecture programme began with a crash course in thorough crime scene investigation. What exactly is trace evidence analysis, and how do I make fingerprints visible? Professor Dirk Labudde and Michele-Nadine Wagner explained everything in great detail and then looked over the shoulders of the budding forensic scientists as they carried out their investigative work.

Whilst the children were experiencing forensics first-hand, the (grand)parents on the lawn next door were enjoying an equally informative experience. With a cup of coffee in hand, they chatted to the researchers about what (digital) forensics achieves and what research is currently being carried out on the subject at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences.

Once all the evidence had been thoroughly analysed at the ‘Nature Office’, the perpetrator was identified and apprehended after two hours. She confessed immediately. Her motive for the offence: she simply wanted to free the stag from its enclosure.

“Our first outdoor Children’s University event, held at a venue familiar to the people of Mittweida, was very well received. The 25 places were quickly booked up. We were even able to communicate science to two different target groups at the same time,” says Robin Biebl, organiser of the Children’s University at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences. Such a “Children’s University Extra” is set to take place regularly in future, alongside the regular events in the lecture theatre.

The Children’s University will continue in September. Full details and further dates can be found on the Children’s University page of Mittweida University of Applied Sciences.