Open Campus Day 2026

25 Years of Robotics Research at Constructor University
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: 12:40 – 13:00 | Location: IRC Conference Hall | Language: English | Duration: 20 min

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: TBD | Language: English | Duration: 20 min

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: 13:00 – 13:20 | Location: IRC Conference Hall | Language: English | 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: 15:40 – 16:00 | Location: TBD | Language: German | Duration: 20 min

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: 15:40 – 16:00 | Location: TBD | 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: 14:00 – 14:20 | Location: TBD | 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: 13:00 – 13:20 | Location: IRC Conference Room | 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: TBD | 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: 15:20 – 15:40 | Location: TBD | Language: German | 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: 14:00 – 14:20 | Location: TBD | Language: German | Duration: 20 min 

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: 14:20 – 14:40 | Location: TBD | Language: TBD | Duration: 20 min

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: TBD | Location: TBD | Language: German | Duration: 20 min

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: 16:00 – 16:20 | Location: TBD | 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: 15:00 – 15:20 | Location: TBD | 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: 14:40 – 15:00 | Location: TBD | Language: English | Duration: 20 minutes

Who Wrote This Chapter? — Me or the AI? An Experiment on AI-Assisted Publishing
Dr. Joaquin Aguado – Computer Science
Can you trust an AI to help write a book? We put it to the test — using two different AI approaches on the same real book chapter, then checking every fact against the original source to see which one you could actually trust.
Time: 13:20 – 13:40 | Location: TBD | Language: English | Duration: 20 minutes

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: 12:40 – 13:00 | Location: IRC Conference Room | Language: TBD | Duration: 20 minutes

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: 13:40 – 14:00 | Location: TBD | Language: German | 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: 13:40 – 14:00 | Location: TBD | Language: English | Duration: 20 minutes

Why Urban Mobility Isn’t the Same for Everyone
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: 14:20 – 14:40 | Location: TBD | Language: English | Duration: 20 minutes

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: 14:40 – 15:00 | Location: TBD | Language: English | Duration: 20 minutes

More details coming soon

• Prof. Dr. Isak Frumin – Education & Management
• Prof. Dr. Marc-Thorsten Hütt – Life Science / Computational Systems Biology
• Prof. Dr. Michael Bau – Geoscience

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

Science in Action: Experiment, Explore, Discover
Prof. Dr. Elke Nevoigt – 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 Room TBC | Language: English & German | Drop in anytime

More details coming soon

• Lene Gropengießer – STEM Education

Building Smarter, Greener Supply Chains with AI
Mohammadreza Rezaei – Applied AI / Digital Product Passports
How do you make global supply chains both smarter and more sustainable? The EITIE Research Lab showcases its work at the intersection of AI and sustainability — including the EU-funded SORT4CIRC project, led by Prof. Dr. Omid Fatahi Valilai, which is helping build a circular economy through tools like digital product passports that track a product's full lifecycle. Try out interactive demos and digital tools shaping the industries of tomorrow.
Time: TBD | Location: TBD | 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: 12:00 – 12:30, 13:00 – 13:30, 14:00 – 14:30, 15:00 – 15:30, 16:00 – 16:30 | Location: Lab II | Language: English & German | Duration: 30 min

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

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: 12:00 – 12:30, 13:00 – 13:30, 14:00 – 14:30, 15:00 – 15:30 | Location: Lab III | 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: Bilingual | 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: 14:30 – 17:00 | Location: ECE Lab, Research I – Room 48 | Language: TBD | Format: Drop in anytime

More details coming soon

• Prof. Dr. Francesco Maurelli – Robotics – “Ducky Town”
• Natural Sciences Lab – Geoscience, Chemistry, Physics & more

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

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

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
See what makes Constructor University's student body so vibrant: sports clubs, cultural groups representing dozens of nationalities, crafts, hobbies, and everything in between. Stop by the stands, meet the people behind them, and find where you belong.
Time: 13:30 – 15:30 | Location: SCC

Alumni vs. Staff "Friendly" Match
Who needs a World Cup when we have so many nationalities on both teams? Don't miss this friendly (but competitive!) showdown. Come cheer for your favorite team and bring the excitement!
Time: 15:00–17:00 | Location: Sports Field

Merch Store
New and limited-edition 25^th-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 25^th 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: Four Perspectives on 25 Years of Constructor"
Featuring Prof. Dr. Klaudia Brix, Dr. Abdu Mudesir, Prof. Mete Atatüre & Prof. Sir Konstantin Novoselov (Nobel Laureate & University President)
Four voices, one story: a founding-era professor, a first-generation alumnus whose own son now studies at Constructor, 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. Join in person or via livestream.
Time: 11:30 – 12:30 | 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: 12:45 – 13:00 | Location: Alumni Brick Path | Language: English