At the 2026 Girls’ Day at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics, 16 female students gained first-hand insights into research and everyday scientific work. Together with the student laboratory PhotonLab, the institute has been participating in the nationwide initiative for around 15 years, introducing girls and young women to fields in which they remain underrepresented.
This year’s program once again combined talks, experiments, and lab visits, with a strong focus on hands-on activities. After an introduction to the institute and its research, the participants moved to the PhotonLab, where they carried out their own experiments – and quickly discovered that research often means spending long hours on your feet.
Even the lunch break was hands-on: using liquid nitrogen, the students explored its striking properties. They prepared ice cream from yogurt, sugar, and frozen berries, and watched as roses frozen in liquid nitrogen shattered into pieces.
“It was great to see so many interested girls,” says Dr. Silke Stähler-Schöpf, head of the student laboratory. “I was especially pleased that two participants worked with a Michelson interferometer and were able to determine the wavelength of light correctly. We have supported this initiative from the very beginning, and I look forward to it every year.”
The program also included a visit to the precision mechanics workshop, where workshop manager Michi Rogg and apprentice Sára Metalová introduced their work. Doctoral researcher Carlotta Versmold then presented her research and guided the group through her laboratory, where the participants saw an interferometer in operation and gained direct insight into experimental work.
The day concluded with a Kahoot quiz covering the topics explored, with prizes awarded to the top three participants.
Picture: Christine Wolf
