Our manufacturing industries are lacking young engineers and technicians because high school students, when deciding on a career path, have been exposed to teachers, doctors, lawyers, but very seldom to material scientists. Although everything we use is made of material - metal, polymers, ceramics, and materials not invented yet - this field is not in their thoughts.

How can we attract a new generation to Material Science? In 2000 the Education Foundation of ASM International, the American equivalent of DGM, developed the idea of Materials Camp. It is a weeklong, free program of hands-on experiments for high school students exposing the students to Material Science concepts, teamwork, critical thinking, and problem-solving techniques. The students who have attended camp promote the camp in their schools and many return as junior mentors during their college years and later as mentors.

A few years later the concept of Teachers Camps was developed. These camps, free to the teachers, instruct teachers in material science experiments that can be incorporated into chemistry and physics classes. These educational and fun experiments meet the requirements of NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) and expose the students to Material Science.

These camps have been very successful: over 18,000 students and about 10,000 teachers have attended the camps. This idea of Materials Camps has been adopted by India and France, conducting camps for many years with great success. Since 2017 teachers and students from the Lette Verein in Berlin have taken part in the Materials Explorer Camp in Clermont-Ferrand as mentors and junior mentors. After experimenting with various forms of the camp, the Lette Verein has conducted their own Materials Camp for two years now.

Frauke Hogue