On a Journey of Discovery with a Microscope: InterBridge Inspires Students at the International Primary School Stollberg

On March 22, 2025, the International Primary School Stollberg opened its doors to curious visitors, families, and aspiring young scientists. One of the main attractions of the Open Day was the interactive station presented by the InterBridge project, which is being carried out in cooperation between the Chemnitz University of Technology and the Technical University of Liberec as part of the Interreg program. The aim of the project is to connect art and science and to inspire young people to engage with natural sciences.

Guided by Karolína Voleská (TU Liberec) as well as Kristina Jahn and Ricarda Künzel-Ripp (TU Chemnitz), pupils had the chance to work with a stereomicroscope and a digital light microscope, diving into the fascinating world of tiny things. Feathers, spiders, shark skin – the wide variety of natural and technical samples sparked great curiosity and excitement. Even everyday items such as banknotes, hair samples, textiles, or an LED screen revealed surprising structures under high magnification – invisible to the naked eye. In the creative part of the workshop, science and art came together: the microscope images were used to create colorful mosaics depicting well-known buildings from Chemnitz and Liberec – including the Karl Marx Monument, the Ještěd TV tower, and the school building itself. This connection made science not only understandable but also vivid and inspiring.

The workshop impressively demonstrated how knowledge can be playfully conveyed through an interdisciplinary approach – a core mission of the InterBridge project. The shining eyes of the young researchers spoke for themselves.

Kristina Jahn and Ricarda Künzel-Ripp