Open Campus Day 2026
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Join us for a day of discovery, interaction, and celebration all across campus. Explore our campus, tour our labs, and take part in a host of family-friendly activities alongside live entertainment, food & drink, and more.
Open Campus Day is your chance to experience Constructor University from the inside. Home to 120+ nationalities and 25 years of groundbreaking research, CU is a place where global minds come to ask bigger questions and find answers that matter. On September 19, we open our doors and invite you to see it for yourself.
Rooted in Bremen and reaching across the world, our researchers tackle the questions that shape our future, spanning physics, computer science, robotics, earth sciences, economics, and more. Come and meet the people behind the work, explore our labs, and discover how science being done right here in Bremen is making an impact far beyond it, all while joining the fun of the 25th anniversary celebration.
Download the app!
The CU25 app holds twenty-five years of Constructor University — and opens the next twenty-five. Explore the stories that built us, then leave your own message for the next generations. At Open Campus day, use the app to find your way around campus, book lab tours and stay up to date on what's on when and where.
Download the app for iOS. Android version is coming soon. For now, we invite you to use the desktop version.
25 Years of Robotics Research at Constructor University – a Look into the Past and into the Future
Prof. Dr. Andreas Birk – Robotics
Twenty-five years of robots built to go where people can't — into disaster zones, ocean depths, and even toward other planets. Professor Andreas Birk looks back at a quarter-century of Constructor robotics: championship-winning student teams at competitions like RoboCup, and research methods now proving themselves in some of the world's toughest environments.
Time: 11:30 – 11:50 | Location: IRC Conference Room | Language: English | Duration: 20 min
Water in Bremen: The Weser and Lesum Rivers and the Future of Our Drinking Water
Prof. Dr. Michael Bau – Geoscience
What's the situation with drinking water in Bremen-Nord and Bremen-Stadt? Where does it come from, and what is its quality like? And what does the future hold? Could the Weser and Lesum rivers be the solution?
Time: 11:30 – 11:50 | Location: Conrad Naber Lecture Hall | Language: German | Duration: 20 min
Reliable GNSS in the Real World: Building Robust Satellite Navigation
Prof. Dr. Haoqing Li – Electrical and Computer Engineering
How satellite positioning works, why it fails, and how we make it more robust.
Time: 11:50 – 12:10 | Location: IRC Conference Room | Language: English | Duration: 20 min
Who Wrote This Chapter? — Me or the AI?
Dr. Joaquin Aguado – Computer Science
AI can now draft, edit and polish academic text, so who is the author? Using a real book we are producing at Constructor University, this talk shows how AI assists with the mechanics while the ideas and arguments stay human, every claim traceable to its source and the authors fully responsible for the result.
Time: 11:50 – 12:10 | Location: Conrad Naber Lecture Hall | Language: English | Duration: 20 minutes
Mind Reading for AI
Prof. Dr. Markus Wenzel – AI / Computer Science
When AI agents communicate with each other, they do it in words. But when they "think", they do it in numbers. Join us on a journey into how we can research what AI actually thinks — and whether its conversations are as efficient as they seem.
Time: 12:10 – 12:30 | Location: IRC Conference Room | Language: English | Duration: 20 min
The Chemistry of Chocolate
Prof. Dr. Nikolai Kuhnert – Chemistry
Ever wonder what actually makes chocolate taste like chocolate? This talk takes you inside the process — from bean to bar — exploring the key chemical compounds involved, how they change during processing, and how scientists track them down, with a special focus on the flavor and aroma compounds behind that irresistible taste.
Time: 12:10 – 12:30 | Location: Conrad Naber Lecture Hall | Language: German | Duration: 20 min
One of the First Live AFDM Transmitters in the World!
Giuseppe Thadeu Freitas de Abreu, Eric Rou & Gustavo Fernandes Moreira – Electrical and Computer Engineering
A live demonstration of radio transmission using new AFDM technology — one of the world's first AFDM transmissions. An evolution of OFDM (the technology behind Wi-Fi 6 and 5G), AFDM promises greater robustness against interference, higher data rates, and more reliable communication with high-speed moving users, potentially paving the way for direct phone-to-satellite communication.
Time: 14:00 – 14:20 | Location: IRC Conference Room | Language: English | Duration: 20 minutes
The Lonely Inner Couch-Potato: On Loneliness and Procrastination
Prof. Dr. Sonia Lippke – Health Psychology
Discover why loneliness and procrastination are more closely linked than we might think, and how both connect to our wellbeing and health. Come away with practical, science-based tips to strengthen social connection and take a more mindful, self-directed approach to everyday life.
Time: 14:00 – 14:20 | Location: Conrad Naber Lecture Hall | Language: German | Duration: 20 min
The Fastest Self-Driving Car in the World — and Why That Matters for You
Ilya Shimchik – Constructor Autonomous Racing Team
What happens when you take the driver out of a race car and push it to 270 km/h? On a racetrack, a self-driving car has to do everything a road car does – see, decide, react – but with no margin and no time.
Time: 14:20 – 14:40 | Location: IRC Conference Room | Language: English | Duration: 20 min
Can Science Make Us Happy?
Prof. Dr. Song Yan – Psychology
What really makes us happy — more money, more success, more free time? Or do we often get it wrong? Join this entertaining tour through the psychology of happiness research and discover the surprising factors that actually shape our wellbeing — and why our brains sometimes lead us astray on the subject.
Time: 14:20 – 14:40 | Location: Conrad Naber Lecture Hall | Language: German | Duration: 20 min
Beyond Burnout: When Life Itself Becomes Exhausting
Dr. Marina Christodoulou – Philosophy
What happens when we're not simply tired from doing too much, but tired of the very way we're required to live? Philosopher Marina Christodoulou introduces the idea of “ontological–existential exhaustion” — exploring how today's pressures can make life itself feel exhausting, and what might restore care, meaning, and possibility.
Time: 14:40 – 15:00 | Location: IRC Conference Room | Language: English | Duration: 20 min
Peace Activists Then and Now: Findings from a 40-Year Longitudinal Study
Prof. Klaus Boehnke – Political Socialization
What happens to a generation of idealists forty years on? In 1985, researchers started tracking teenage activists and sympathizers of the German peace movement — then kept coming back, every three and a half years, all the way through 2023/24. Discover what one of the longest-running studies of its kind reveals about how political conviction is formed, and whether it lasts a lifetime.
Time: 14:40 – 15:00 | Location: Conrad Naber Lecture Hall | Language: German | Duration: 20 min
What Your Ballot Reveals About Bremen’s Political Landscape
Prof. Jan Lorenz – Social Data Science
Every Bremen voter gets five votes to split across parties and candidates — and those choices leave a trail. By tracking which parties voters tend to pick together, Jan Lorenz maps the hidden shape of Bremen's political landscape: a straight line, a horseshoe, or something else entirely. With another election just a year away, the timing couldn't be better.
Time: 15:00 – 15:20 | Location: IRC Conference Room | Language: German | Duration: 20 minutes
Democracy Under Pressure: The Psychology of Right-Wing Populism
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Kühnen – Social Psychology
Using the U.S. as an example, this talk explores how fear of losing status among previously dominant groups plays a key role in the rise of right-wing populist movements — and why Donald Trump's MAGA campaign resonated so strongly with white, Christian Americans facing demographic change and growing secularization.
Time: 15:00 – 15:20 | Location: Conrad Naber Lecture Hall | Language: German | Duration: 20 min
From Floppy Disks to AI Brains: The Story of Semiconductor Memory
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Mojtaba Joodaki – Electrical and Computer Engineering
Join us for a lively journey through the hidden history of the tiny chips that store our photos, power our phones, and now fuel artificial intelligence — told in plain language for curious minds of all backgrounds.
Time: 15:20 – 15:40 | Location: IRC Conference Room | Language: English | Duration: 20 minutes
Less Obvious Applications of Communications
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Werner Henkel – Electrical and Computer Engineering
Digital communication usually means wireless calls or home internet access — but the same channels can do far more. This talk explores using communication properties themselves to protect data, viewing DNA mutations as a communications channel, and even sending signals through pipes or building materials.
Time: 15:20 – 15:40 | Location: Conrad Naber Lecture Hall | Language: English | Duration: 20 minutes
Energy from Light: From Photosynthesis to Solar Cells
Prof. Dr. Ulrich Kleinekathöfer – Theoretical Physics
What do a green leaf and a solar cell have in common? This talk offers a short introduction to the molecular tricks behind photosynthesis — and the solar cells of tomorrow.
Time: 15:40 – 16:00 | Location: IRC Conference Room | Language: German | Duration: 20 min
How Many Rounds of Shuffling is Enough?
Prof. Dr. Keivan Mallahi Karai – Mathematics
Shuffle a deck of cards enough times, and it starts to look random — but how many shuffles does "enough" actually take? Keivan Mallahi Karai breaks down the mathematics behind card shuffling, and why some methods scramble a deck far faster than others.
Time: 15:40 – 16:00 | Location: Conrad Naber Lecture Hall | Language: English | Duration: 20 minutes
Robots in your future. Should they know how you feel?
Prof. Dr. Arvid Kappas – Psychology
As robots step out of the factory and into our homes, schools, and workplaces, our relationship with technology is changing fundamentally. Come and explore the field of human-robot interaction and discover why understanding the human mind is the key to building better technology.
Time: 16:00 – 16:20 | Location: IRC Conference Room | Language: English | Duration: 20 min
Why Urban Mobility Across Sociodemographic Groups is Not the Same? And Why That Matters?
Prof. Dr. Mariana Macedo – Human Behavior and Artificial Intelligence
Do you think your daily mobility is unique, or universal? Join us to explore how different groups experience mobility in fundamentally different ways – and why recognizing these gaps matters for everyone.
Time: 16:00 – 16:20 | Location: Conrad Naber Lecture Hall | Language: English | Duration: 20 minutes
Quantum Science and Information at Constructor University
Prof. Stefan Kettemann – Complex Quantum Systems
Quantum technology is moving from theory into industry — reshaping how we compute, communicate, and secure information, and opening the door to entirely new materials for a sustainable future. Stefan Kettemann walks through what's happening in the field right now, and how Constructor is training the next generation to work in it: a new Master's program in Quantum Science and Information that prepares students in quantum computing, sensing, simulation, materials, and cryptography.
Time: 16:20 – 16:40 | Location: IRC Conference Room | Language: English | Duration: 20 minutes
Alzheimer's: When Proteins Fold the Wrong Way
Prof. Dr. Torsten John – Biophysical and Computational Chemistry
What happens when proteins change their normal structure and group together into larger deposits? Take a look into the molecular processes behind amyloid formation in Alzheimer's disease and how we study these phenomena in the laboratory.
Time: 16:20 – 16:40 | Location: Conrad Naber Lecture Hall | Language: German | Duration: 20 min
Fire Protection with Algae: Is it even possible, and if so, how?
Prof. Dr. Matthias Ullrich – Microbiology
What do algae and fire protection have in common? More than you'd think. Discover how one CU research project tackled two seemingly unrelated problems — and solved both at once.
Time: 16:40 – 17:00 | Location: Conrad Naber Lecture Hall | Language: German | Duration: 20 min
Get Creative and “Draw Your Game”
Lene Gropengießer – Youth STEM Activities (for Girls)
Design your own digital game level using paper and pencils, and then test to see if it works.
Time: 11:00 – 14:00 | Location: Constructor Space | Language: English & German | Drop in anytime
Science in Action: Experiment, Explore, Discover
Prof. Dr. Elke Nevoigt, Prof. Dr. Ulrich Kortz, Prof. Dr. Torsten John – Chemistry & Biotechnology
Get ready to experiment, discover, and have fun with science at Open Campus Day! Explore colourful chemistry with bubbling volcanoes, magic milk, red-cabbage indicators, and invisible ink. Meet the "tiny bakers" of biotechnology by watching yeast under the microscope and fermentation inflate a balloon. Then put your predictions to the test with hands-on demonstrations of density, solubility, and surface tension — activities designed especially for children and families, with plenty for curious visitors of all ages.
Time: 12:00 – 16:30 | Location: Research II Foyer | Language: English & German | Drop in anytime
Environmental Chemistry
Prof. Dr. Michael Bau & Elias Lilie – Geoscience
Experience environmental chemistry by conducting a variety of experiments yourself and taking your own measurements. In addition, there will be exciting demonstration experiments to watch and discover. Only upon registration at the Welcome-Info Point. For kids 10+ years of age – parents are welcome too.
Time: 12:30, 14:30 | Location: Ocean Lab | Language: English | Duration: 90 min
DIY Happiness — The Science of Living Well
Prof. Dr. Song Yan & Prof. Dr. Hilke Brockmann – Psychology
Ever wondered what actually makes people happy? Join us for a hands-on happiness workshop where you can take part in real psychology research, vote on happiness myths, visit our Happiness Wall, and build your very own evidence-based happiness recipe to take home.
Time: 15:00 – 17:00 | Location: Family Fun Zone | Language: English & German | Drop in anytime
Large-Scale 3D Printing Open Lab
Prof. Dr.-Ing. Yilmaz Üygun – Logistics Engineering
Visit one of the largest Delta-type industrial 3D printers around and learn more about additive manufacturing — open to the public throughout the session.
Time: 11:00 – 14:00 | Location: 3D Printing Lab | Language: English | Drop in anytime
Life Sciences Lab Tour
Prof. Dr. Susanne Illenberger & Team – Life Sciences
Explore the Life Sciences labs at Constructor University — from teaching lab demonstrations to cutting-edge research in microbiology and imaging. Visitors 16 and older can join on their own; younger visitors (ages 10–15) are welcome too, as long as they're with a parent.
Time slots: 11:50 – 12:30, 12:50 – 13:30, 13:50 – 14:30, 14:50 – 15:30, 15:50 – 16:30 | Location: Lab II | Language: English & German | Duration: 30 min
Psychology and Robots Lab Tour
Prof. Dr. Arvid Kappas & Dr. Michael Gröner - Psychology & Robotics
Step into Lab III, where behavioral science and robotics research share the same building — and the same big question: how do humans and robots actually interact? See the installations built to study exactly that, used for both research and teaching.
Time slots: 11:50 – 12:30, 12:50 – 13:30, 13:50 – 14:30, 14:50 – 15:30 | Location: Lab III | Language: English & German | Duration: 30 min
Natural Sciences Lab Tour
Prof. Dr. Veit Wagner & Team – Physics and Chemistry
Step inside the world of Natural Sciences. Discover research environments in chemistry and physics, and gain insight into the technologies, methods, and questions that drive scientific research. Visitors 16 and older can join on their own; younger visitors (ages 10–15) are welcome too, as long as they're with a parent.
Time slots: 12:20 – 13:00, 13:20 – 14:00, 14:20 – 15:00, 15:20 – 16:00, 16:20 – 17:00 | Location: Lab II | Language: English & German | Duration: 30 min
Robotics in Unstructured Environments
Prof. Dr. Andreas Birk – Robotics
See 25 years of Constructor robotics in action — machines built for disaster zones, planetary surfaces, and everywhere else humans can't easily reach. Watch highlight videos from decades of search-and-rescue and planetary robotics work, and catch a live demo from an underwater robot.
Time: 13:15 – 16:15 | Location: Robotics Lab, H1-51 | Language: English & German | Format: Drop in anytime
Electrical and Computer Engineering Open Lab
Prof. Dr. Giuseppe Abreu, Dr. Hyeon Seok Rou & Gustavo Fernandes Moreira – Electrical and Computer Engineering
Stop by the ECE Lab for a live demonstration of AFDM technology — one of the world's first live AFDM transmissions. An evolution of OFDM (the tech behind Wi-Fi 6 and 5G), AFDM promises greater robustness against interference, higher data rates, and more reliable communication for high-speed moving users, potentially paving the way for direct phone-to-satellite communication.
Time: 14:45 – 17:00 | Location: ECE Lab, Research I – Room 48 | Language: English | Format: Drop in anytime
Digital Transformation for Sustainable Industries: AI, Digital Product Passports, and Circular Supply Chains
Prof. Dr. Omid Fatahi Valilai, Research Group (EITIE) – Digital Product Passports, Applied AI, Consumer Behavior Analysis
The EITIE Research Lab will showcase its research activities and achievements in the digital transformation of industries and supply chains. Particular focus will be given to the EU Horizon Europe project SORT4CIRC, led by Prof. Dr. Omid Fatahi Valilai, alongside other research initiatives in Artificial Intelligence, Digital Product Passports (DPPs), consumer behavior analysis using EEG- and VR-based equipment, sustainability, and circular economy solutions. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore interactive demonstrations and digital tools that support the transition toward smarter and more sustainable industries.
Time: 11:00 – 12:00, 13:00 – 15:00 | Location: IRC Foyer | Language: English | Format: Drop in anytime
Descend Into Campus History: Bunker Tour
Descend beneath the campus into a real military bunker and walk through the original command and communications rooms on this 20-minute guided tour of the site's history and its conversion into a university campus. Meet at the Info Point. Wear sturdy shoes, since the route includes stairs and cool, low-lit spaces.
Times: 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00, 15:30, 16:00, 16:30 | Location: Meet at the Info Point | Language: English | Duration: 20 min
Constructor University Campus Tour
Get the full lay of the land on a 30-minute guided walk across campus — from the colleges and library to the main teaching and lab buildings — with stops along the way on student life, the residential college system, and how a former military site became a university campus. Meet at the Info Point. Held outdoors rain or shine; comfortable shoes advised.
Times: 11:30, 12:10, 12:50, 13:30, 14:10, 14:50, 15:30, 16:10 | Location: Meet at the Info Point | Language: English | Duration: 30 min
Family Fun Zone
Something for every kid (and kid at heart): a bouncy castle, face painting, giant lawn games, plus bubbles, coloring, crafts, and fun giveaways to take home.
There's even more in the works: food & drink trucks, a DJ keeping the music going, a sports activity stand with TK, and a stand from AOK — more details to follow!
Time: All day | Location: IRC Terrace
CU Student Club Fair
From sports and culture to innovation and community engagement, meet our student clubs and discover what campus life beyond the classroom has to offer.
Time: 13:30 – 15:30 | Location: SCC
Alumni vs. Staff "Friendly" Match
Cheer on our alumni and staff as they come together for a friendly football match celebrating 25 years of community, teamwork, and lasting memories.
Time: 14:30 – 16:30 | Location: Sports Field
Merch Store
New and limited-edition 25th-anniversary merch: t-shirts, tote bags, backpacks, mugs, water bottles, and more. Grab your gear and show off some serious pride for your favorite university!
Time: All day | Location: IRC Lobby
Gold Joana Scavenger Hunt
25 golden Joanas (rubber ducks!) are hidden around campus — one for every year of Constructor's 25th anniversary. Find one, bring it to the Merch Store, and claim a special prize.
Time: All day | Location: Merch Store for prize redemption
Picture-Perfect Spots
Snap a photo with our giant inflatable duck — Joana's oversized cousin — then strike a pose in the magazine-style photo booth for a keepsake shot of your day at Constructor.
Time: All day | Location: ICR Lobby & Lawn
Whether you're an alum reconnecting with campus or just curious about what's next for Constructor, these homecoming activities are open to everyone.
From Pioneers to Possibilities: 25 Years and Beyond
Featuring Prof. Dr. Klaudia Brix, Dr. Abdu Mudesir, Ilya Shimchik, Prof. Mete Atatüre & Prof. Sir Konstantin Novoselov (Nobel Laureate & University President)
Five voices, one story: a founding-era professor, a first-generation alumnus whose own son now studies at Constructor, a Principal Investigator at Constructor Labs leading an autonomous racing team, a Cambridge physicist and strategic advisor, and Nobel laureate President Sir Konstantin Novoselov come together to reflect on 25 years and look ahead to what's next. The discussion is preceded by a keynote from Serg Bell – Chief Constructor. Join in person or via livestream.
Time: 12:30 – 13:45 | Location: IRC Conference Hall (hybrid, livestream available) | Language: English
More information
Alumni Path Dedication
Join the formal dedication of new signage along the Alumni Brick Path, honoring the graduates who've walked it before you.
Time: 11:30 – 11:45 | Location: Alumni Brick Path | Language: English