Chemistry Section of the German Association of High School Teachers (
After a welcome address by Prof. Klaus Seibt, the participants attended a lecture on the topic of “The Solubility of Gypsum.” They then had the opportunity to apply the theoretical knowledge they had gained in a hands-on laboratory experiment and to evaluate and discuss the results of the experiment with the expert staff. In the evening, the group dined at the “Cavallino” restaurant, after which Jochen Kaminsky led the students on an entertaining “night watchman’s tour” through downtown Zittau. Even the locals were amazed at how much more there is to learn about Zittau. They spent the night in modern dorm rooms, which were kindly provided by the Student Services Organization.
The second day began with a hearty breakfast in the student canteen. Afterward, in the organic chemistry labs, the students gained a brief insight into the theory and practice of synthesizing and applying organic dyes. They synthesized indigo, isolated chlorophyll from parsley, and characterized it using IR spectroscopy. At the conclusion of the event, all participants received certificates and a small commemorative gift. Once again this year, the students participated with great interest and thoroughly enjoyed the scientific work and chemical experiments. During the concluding discussion session, the feedback was entirely positive.
In addition to the Saxon Education Agency, the event was supported by the German Chemical Industry Association (VCI), the German Chemical Society (GDCh), and Cornelsen Publishing. A heartfelt thank you goes out to all participating students, the staff members of the Chemistry Department who helped organize the event, and Mr. Liebner from the Geschwister-Scholl-Gymnasium in Löbau, who, as he does every year, took charge of organizing the event.
Contact:
Diplom-Chemiker (FH) Matthias Jeschke
Faculty of Mathematics/Natural Sciences
Phone: 03583 61-1714/1702/1703
Email: m.jeschke@hszg.de