How young people can be won over to physics
The cluster's research focuses on the topic of chirality. It refers to the property of an object that cannot be made to coincide with its mirror image - just like the left and right hand. In nature, chirality is a fundamental design principle. The Center for Chiral Electronics is investigating how this principle can be used in electronic systems - and how new functionalities, materials and components can be made possible as a result.
However, the research program does not only focus on basic research, but also on promoting young scientists. Physics is involved in a large number of innovations for global challenges. "Nevertheless, not enough young people choose physics as a high school or university subject," says Prof. Nele McElvany from the IFS. "In addition, various groups such as women or young people from socially less privileged families and from immigrant backgrounds are systematically underrepresented. Many potentials therefore remain untapped." Together with colleagues from the Department of Physics Education at the Universities of Halle-Wittenberg and Regensburg, she therefore presented the current state of research on the existing disparities and the factors that influence course and subject choice. She also presented the intervention study based on this research.
Psychological intervention study PHOENIX
During the seven-year funding period of the Cluster of Excellence, an internationally unique psychological longitudinal intervention study entitled "PHOENIX" will be carried out with over 1,500 pupils in several federal states. The central starting point is the realization that it is not enough to make physics interesting to young people if they do not consciously or unconsciously perceive physics or science in general as compatible with their own identity and as individually meaningful. Building on established psychological and didactic concepts, an annual intervention program is being developed, implemented and evaluated against this background, in which students are accompanied from the ninth grade until after graduation. The researchers expect the study to provide comprehensive insights into the mechanisms of action involved in course and subject choice and the differential effects on different groups of pupils.
The PHOENIX team
At TU Dortmund University, the interdisciplinary project team led by Prof. Nele McElvany is complemented by JProf. Justine Stang-Rabrig, Dr. Elisabeth Graf and Carolin Horsthemke. PHOENIX is supported by an international Scientific Advisory Board and is in close contact with the Particle Physics Cluster of Excellence Color meets Flavor at TU Dortmund University.
About the "Center for Chiral Electronics"
The Cluster of Excellence Center for Chiral Electronics (CCE) has been funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) since 2026 as part of the Excellence Strategy of the German federal and state governments. Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Freie Universität Berlin and the University of Regensburg are in charge. The Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics and TU Dortmund University are participating institutions.
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