On 16 July 2025, our SFB 1313 team offered a porous media school workshop to a group of curious 10th grade pupils from the Karls Gymnasium Stuttgart. The workshop focused on the topic of biomineralization. The event began with a theoretical introduction to porous media by our SFB 1313 spokesperson Holger Steeb.
Our post-doctoral researcher Johannes Hommel explained the natural process of biomineralization — the way certain organisms produce minerals to harden or stiffen tissues, such as shells or bones, or simply producing minerals as a byproduct of their metabolism.
After gaining background knowledge on biomineralization, the pupils got hands-on experience. Using sand and ureolytically active powder, they carried out their own biomineralization experiments at individual set-ups, creating each their own biomineralized "muffins", decorated with small pebble toppings. The experiment illustrated how the interaction of the ureolytically active powder mixed into sand reacting with the mineralization solution containing urea and calcium results in the formation of solid calcium carbonate mineral structures, cementing the previously loose sand together to a solid piece of bioconcrete. The experiment gave the pupils a direct glimpse into a process used in fields like environmental science, civil engineering, and biotechnology.
Following the experiments, the group had the chance to breathe campus air. They enjoyed lunch together with our SFB 1313 team in the mensa of the University of Stuttgart, giving them time to discuss their results and experiences.
In the afternoon, the workshop concluded with a guided lab tour through the Porous Media Lab (PML) by our post-doctoral researcher Matthias Ruf and the Masters' student Simon Wahl, where the group got a behind-the-scenes look at ongoing research projects and laboratory equipment.
The event sparked enthusiasm and curiosity among the pupils, showing how porous media research at the University of Stuttgart can be both fun and impactful.
