53 Chemistry Students Experiment in Battery Research
53 Master's students of Chemistry and Business Chemistry at the University of Münster (WWU) are leaving their lectures and going straight into research practice. For ten weeks, the prospective scientists complete lectures and internships at MEET Battery Research Center of the University of Münster and at Helmholtz Institute Münster of Forschungszentrum Jülich. From analytical methods and material synthesis to battery cell construction, the 19 women and 34 men gain practical experience and get to know the leading battery researchers at the Münster location.
Theoretical Basics and Application-Oriented Research
Listen, watch and experiment yourself is the motto of the Master module at MEET Battery Research Center and Helmholtz Institute Münster. Since 2012, scientists have been giving students intensive insights into everyday life at one of Germany's leading battery research centres. The first two of a total of ten weeks kick off with a technical introduction for the students. 14 lecturers from MEET and HI MS – Prof. Dr Martin Winter, Scientific Director, as well as the department and group leaders of both institutions – provide theoretical basics and an insight into their current research. Then it's off to the state-of-the-art laboratories, where practical basics follow: such as measuring the conductivity of electrolytes or analytical methods to investigate charging and discharging processes of battery cells. In addition to the proven and market-dominating lithium-ion technology, future technologies such as lithium-metal are on the curriculum for the students. Matthias Walter, Master Student in Business Chemistry, is fascinated by the everyday significance of the battery cell as a research subject: “We get an insight into the batteries of the future and work with technologies that will perhaps determine our energy supply in some time.”
Dr Peter Bieker, MEET Battery Research Center and Helmholtz Institute Münster, explains: “We started with 30 places for the Master module. Due to the high level of interest, the places were increased over time so that we could offer more students this excursion into research practice.”
PhD Students Assist Master Students
15 PhD students from MEET and HI MS accompany the Master students during their internship. They explain work steps, provide support during implementation and show what every day work looks like far away from the labs. The in-depth knowledge on topics such as literature research or the structure of a scientific paper must be put into practice immediately. A ten-page scientific paper forms the conclusion of the Master's module. Justin Verbarg, a Master Student in Chemistry, already wrote his Bachelor's thesis at MEET Battery Research Center. For him, it was clear that he wanted to return to battery research for the Master's module: “It's a very fascinating and application-oriented field of research that I can well imagine writing my Master's thesis on.” Verbarg's path shows one of the possibilities for students: Final theses can be written at both MEET and HI MS, or student assistantships can be taken up. A subsequent doctorate in battery research is also an attractive future perspective for the students.